Hidden
by tinkertot95
Summary: Plucked from her home in the dead of night Anya must now cope with living in a brand new country knowing that there are men out there who want to kill her. To help her acclimate to Japanese culture, she has been put in the care of the famous Ouran Host Club. Will they be able to save her before it's too late? *In the process of a rewrite, criticism on this version would be awesome!
1. Introducing Miss Anya Masson

_Welcome to Hidden! This is my first story in a while, so I hope that everyone enjoys it. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to shoot me a message. I will try to keep my updates frequent, but I am busy with stupid adult things like college. Like with anyone, though, reviews keep me encouraged, which in turn helps the updates come out faster. I was having issues with the timing, so this first chapter may go a little fast. I'm working on chapter two as we speak! So sit back, relax, and enjoy chapter one!_

"Lady and gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you, Miss Anya Masson. She is here from France to lay low while her family sorts out some trouble. I would appreciate it if you would look after her for me." Mr. Suoh says, standing behind me with a hand on my shoulder.

"It's nice to meet you." I say shyly. I want nothing more than to retreat to my room and hide for the rest of the evening while the rest of them do whatever they want, but I know that isn't possible.

"It is a trial right now...so we will see where things are in a month. Don't think too much about it, and just have fun okay?" Mr. Suoh says before he leaves me with the boys.

"You're Tamaki, yes?" I ask to the taller blonde, more nervous than I ought to be. He smiles and greets me in a traditionally French way. A kiss on each cheek.

"Oui! Welcome to my home." He says and I smile at the warmth. His actions aren't cold and robotic like some people I've met here.

"They sort of look alike, don't ya think, Kaoru?" A red-headed clone says as he observes me with curiosity.

"Nah, she looks too calm to be milord's sister, Hikaru." Kaoru says as he circles around me the other way.

"You shady twins stop antagonizing your new aunt!" Tamaki shouts at them and I jump. "Haruhi! You must spend a lot of time with her, okay!"

"Sorry about him...he is a little crazy sometimes. I am Haruhi Fujioka." The petite girl says with a bow.

"It will probably take a lot of getting used to..." I mutter as Tamaki chases the twins around the room with a baseball bat.

"Good evening Miss Masson." A dark-haired boy with glasses and silver eyes says as he walks over to me. "My name is Kyoya Ootori. You have met my father and possibly my eldest brother."

"Yes. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Yuuichi speaks very highly of you." I say and he doesn't look very happy.

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you." He says, obviously lying. "If you should need anything, don't hesitate to ask." But he is asking me to not ask him for anything. Suddenly I'm dragged off to meet more people. I wonder what happened before this to make Kyoya so...cranky.

"Don't worry about Kyo-chan." A little boy whispers, hiding his mouth with a pink stuffed bunny. "He just needs to get warmed up to you."

"Yeah." The tall man at his side says and I crane my neck to look up at him. I offer a small smile and he looks shocked. Maybe it won't be so bad here... 

* * *

"So Miss Masson, how are you liking my academy so far?" Headmaster Suoh asks as he comes out from behind his desk.

"Very much, thank you for all your kindness." I say in the unfamiliar language. "Your son has been very welcoming to me as well as his friend, Mr. Ootori." I say, only lying a little bit. Tamaki has been very warm, but Kyoya has been well...the opposite.

"I am very happy to hear that!" He enthuses with a large smile. "I am still trying to contact your family...for the time being you will continue staying with Tamaki in our family's second mansion. I know that it has been a month, but have some faith in me. I will let you know when I have more information."

"I am very grateful for your kindness, sir." I say, bowing my head a little bit out of respect for the man who essentially saved me.

"Nonsense, Anya...your father and I go back very far...I am happy that he has entrusted the rest of your education to me." He says as he smiles sincerely. "I should let you get back to class now. If you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Of course, thank you." I say as I stand. "Good day." I bow, remembering the custom before I exit his office and walk back to my classroom.

I walk in and hand my note to the teacher before I take my place at Tamaki and Kyoya's side for the group assignment. "Your father was concerned about me." I say softly, a small smile on my lips.

"I can't imagine why." Kyoya says, sounding particularly rude today. I bite my tongue and ignore his comment. How does no one really notice this? This has been going on for the past month...he is rude to me and I try to make amends and be nice to him.

"Tamaki, will you please fill me in on what we are doing?" I ask and he happily obliges. What did I do to make Kyoya so mad? I've barely spoken six whole sentences to the guy and he seems to hate my guts. Perhaps it's because I don't pay to participate in his club...maybe he hates me because I'm not really rich anymore. Hell...compared to everyone in this room I'm dirt poor. That would be very stupid though...maybe he thinks I want to be here as a charity case.

"Anya?" Tamaki asks, looking concerned. I smile apologetically and look down at his careful script.

"Oh, right. That makes sense...this is about where we were in France." I say, smiling at the familiarity. I complete the problem and then look to him.

"Excellent! You are really smart, Anya." Tamaki says brightly as he shows my work to Kyoya.

"Your rounding is off." He says grumpily, his tone is clipped and I just flash him a brilliant smile. Kill with kindness is what my mother always taught me.

"Thank you, Kyoya. Your critique is greatly appreciated, as it will help me to improve my work." I say, sounding sincere enough. He looks at me with his cool stare before he completes the next problem, his work perfect no doubt.

"Alright students, class is dismissed. Have your assignments finished before the start of the next class." The teacher says and we all move our seats back into place. I carefully pack my bag and wait for the boys.

"I can finish it while you guys work..." I say as Kyoya slips the paper into his bag. He looks at me for a moment, his lip curling a little bit. "Or not." I almost snap. All of a sudden it's just the three of us left. In my mind I see myself demanding what his problem is. I stand with my fists curled at my sides, a steely glare aimed at his back.

"I appreciate your offer, Anya..." He starts but I interrupt him on a whim and instantly regret it as it comes out.

"Miss Masson." I say, the steel from my glare in my voice. He freezes for a second before he turns around and looks at me, his eyebrow quirked in intrigue.

"Forgive me, Miss Masson, I appreciate your offer, but I am not hosting today. I will have the time to complete the assignment." He says, his tone cool and calculating. I may have earned some points with my bold correction. "May I carry your bag for you? In apology for my rude familiarity with you."

"No thank you." I say, not sounding so angry anymore. The three of us head out of the room, Tamaki standing in between us with an uneasy disposition. We find our way to their club room and I go and sit in my usual out of the way seat. Mori-senpai quietly sits down beside me. "Kyoya is going to kill me in my sleep." I say, putting my head down on my arms.

"Why do you think so?" The gentle giant asks, his usual monosyllabic demeanor gone for the time being. I know that I don't have long.

"Well...he was being hard on me during our math lesson and after class I snapped and corrected him to 'Miss Masson' instead of Anya...and I may have been rude about it." I say, biting my cheek.

"Stop, you remember what happened last time." He chides. "I don't think Kyoya will harm you."

"Physically...but if I'm being honest, he is kind of making this harder on me." I say softly. "I don't know what I did to make him hate me."

"It will take some time...but he'll warm up to you." He says, trying to assure me. His effort makes me smile. "I have to go, club hours are about to start."

"Go get them, you ladykiller you." I say and he smiles briefly before he drags his tall frame over to another couch. Hunny-senpai bounds over to him excitedly and they speak briefly before the throng of girls are allowed to enter.

* * *

A whole day has passed, thank goodness and it has been relatively peaceful. I busy myself by completing my homework in my usual spot out of the line of fire for the host club. There isn't much because I do the same thing with my lunch hour. My days are comprised of me being friendly with six sevenths of the Ouran host club and avoiding the one as much as I can. When I finish my work I pull out my favorite book, the French edition of C.S Lewis' _The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe_ and begin reading. The familiar language brings a smile to my face.

"Hey Anya-senpai, what are you reading?" Hikaru asks, walking over to me with his brother not far behind.

"Narnia." I say as I finish my page and replace my bookmark. "Shouldn't you be working? I don't want you to get in trouble with that shadow king."

"We don't currently have a client and we were bored. Why don't you entertain us?" Kaoru says, putting his hand on the opposite hip from his brother. Mirror images.

"And how do you think I could entertain you? I'm boring." I say dryly, regarding them with skepticism.

"You could sing for us!" Hikaru exclaims, snapping when he gets the idea. "You can sing, can't you?"

"Not really...and I'd rather not." I say, daring a glance to the evil corner of the room...but he isn't there. My eyes flit around nervously and I see him at a table closer to my couch. This is odd...he usually stays pretty far away.

"Okay...we'll think of something. You can go back to your book." Kaoru says as he pulls his brother away. I nod to them before I pull my phone out of my bag and plug in my headphones. I hit play on the music-playing app and set it aside to do its work. The sweet sounds of The Black Keys fill my ears and I'm transported to my happy place...the room filled with nothing but music. Money and people don't matter...it is just me alone with music and books.

"Anya, would you like to come down from cloud nine and talk with us?" Tamaki asks with a smile as he takes my ear bud out of my ear. I look up and smile.

"If I must." I say as I let him carry my bag for me over to where everyone is. The twins are looking at me with devilish intent. "What did you find out."

"You ARE musical." They is perfect unison. I roll my eyes at the exaggeration. I play a couple of instruments.

"So I play the guitar and drums...and a little piano and violin. My mother was a music teacher for fun." I say as I sit down again. "Who told you?"

"Kyoya-senpai." Hikaru says and I sigh, but I don't look at him. He stalks people...almost to an uncomfortable extent.

"Sorry." I say as I cross my legs. "I only play for my family. Violin for Grandmother on her birthday. Piano for Father...and so on."

"It's true...she hasn't touched a single instrument since she got here." Tamaki confirms and I smile up at him.

"Anya-chan should learn a new instrument for us!" Hunny-senpai exclaims and my cheeks heat up.

"It isn't as easy to learn anymore, I'm sorry Hunny-senpai." I say sweetly to my upperclassman.

"Oh alright." He says, pouting more than a little bit around his cake. He mutters to his bunny and Mori-senpai pats his head.

"Alright men!" Tamaki exclaims, his demeanor suddenly changing in its usual way. "This meeting is officially in order! Anya's birthday is in a week and we will be hosting an event in her honor!"

"What!?" I exclaim, jumping out of my seat. I fall and land on my butt. "That is ridiculous and overly extravagant!"

"Nonsense!" He says, helping me stand. "Nothing is overly extravagant for the woman who is like a sister to me!"

"That's sweet of you...but I'm not really sure about this Tamaki. I don't need anything more than a normal day. I don't feel like celebrating anything this year." I say with a forced smile before I look at my phone. "I have an appointment with someone, excuse me." I duck out before anyone can say anything. I keep the tears at bay until I'm downstairs. I know he means well...he always does...but after today I just can't handle all of this. I make my way to the garden area and sit down on a bench. I need to get it together...Mama would be very disappointed in me for not being gracious and accepting this party...but I just don't feel like celebrating when I don't even know where they are. I sniffle and then notice someone approaching. As I glance up, I see it is Mori-senpai. I quickly wipe my tears. "What are you doing here?"

"I also have an appointment in the garden." He says in that quiet sass that no one ever really hears except for maybe his cousin. "Do you mind if I sit?"

"I guess not." I say as I scoot over for him to sit. He quietly takes a seat. "Senpai..." I start and then stop.

"You don't have to call me that...I can tell that it is uncomfortable for you." He says and I raise an eyebrow at him.

"What should I call you then?" I ask, a bit of sass working into my tone. He cracks a small smile as he rests both of his arms along the back of the bench.

"You could call me by my name...Takashi." He suggests and it makes me feel shy...and a little shocked at how intimate that feels. I've only ever heard Hunny-senpai call him that.

"Is that too intimate for us? I am an underclassman and people usually think that's disrespectful." I ask and he shakes his head, humming his denial to my question. "Alright...then I shall give you a new name to call me. My mother and grandmother used to call me Annie...so if you want, you can call me that."

"Annie." He says testing it out. "Alright...well...Tamaki was worried about you." He says and I sigh. "He means well."

"I know...and I love that. I just..." I try and the tears well up again. "They sent me to hide here while they took care of a problem and it scares me that the problem followed me."

"We wouldn't let anything happen to you, Annie." He says and I smile a little. "They may be a little odd or crazy sometimes, but we really do care about you."

"Thank you Takashi...uh could you show me the way back? I kind of walked without thinking." I say sheepishly and he smiles a bit as he stands up.

"Sure." He says and we head back towards the school building. As we approach, we see Tamaki and Kyoya and the latter looks furious.

"She storms off. Not knowing where the hell she is going. If we don't find her..." Kyoya raves, making fists.

"We will find her Kyoya...what has you so worked up?" Tamaki asks, sounding more calm for once.

"Nothing." He says, adjusting his glasses. He then catches sight of us. "There you are." His tone is clipped. "Thank you Mori-senpai."

"My appointment was in the garden." I say, squaring my shoulders against his berating. He's talking to me like I'm a child.

"Miss Masson, I would appreciate it if you would not run off. In your position you really can't afford to run off." He says and I take a breath.

"I can't afford anything right now. Takashi, can I have a ride home?" I ask, turning to look at him. He nods, so I start to follow him.

"You don't have to, Mori-senpai. Tamaki and I were about to leave." Kyoya says, his tone different now. Takashi looks to me, silently asking me what I want to do. It might be worse if he takes me home...

"Alright...thank you anyway for agreeing." I say to the older boy. He gives me a meaningful look before he heads off towards the drive way. "Are you boys ready to go?"

"We sure are." Tamaki says with a smile. I walk in between them and we start walking towards the front drive. As we approach the limo, a man jumps out and opens the door for me. I climb in and place my earbuds in. Maybe if I go to my happy place Kyoya won't berate me. M83's Midnight City fills my ears and I smile. My eyes meet Kyoya's and they shock me...concern is in them. The rest of his face is angry to a point where it feels like he's going to beat me up. I take my earbuds out.

"You need to have more consideration for your own safety. Do you have any idea how out of their way my family is going just to ensure that you are safe?" He says, his tone is cutting into me. Kill with kindness...kill with kindness...no. Screw that.

"Maybe I would care a little more if you weren't such an asshole!" I shout, hitting my leg with my fist. "You do your very best to make sure to make me feel like shit when anyone is nice to me! What did I do to you to personally hate me so much!?" Tamaki looks shocked and my eyes soften as they flit to him momentarily. He probably didn't see how bad it was. "God...if your family helping me makes you hate me so much, I'd rather let whatever threat there is have me just to avoid you. Trust me, I'd rather be in France more than you want me to be gone." He opens his mouth three times and closes it each time as well. Have I stunned him into silence? His shoulders slump a bit. I broke him...

"You would rather die...than have my family's assistance because of how I've been acting." He repeats, not looking at me. Tamaki is looking between the two of us, not sure who to comfort. He makes a decision and sits next to me.

"Okay. We need to talk about some things. Lately, Kyoya, you have hardly been the gentleman I know you to be...similarly...Anya you are the shell of the girl that I've known. We know why you are, Anya. What I would like to know is what is wrong with you, Kyoya?" He says, his usual airy voice filled with concern.

"Why do you hate me so much?" I ask, more calm now. "I don't want to be a charity case...I know that my father entrusted my education to the Suoh's and my safety to your family...but I don't want to be here. I want to be home, laying on the beach, with my familiar security detail, sipping lemonade. I can't though...I'm hiding. My accounts are being used elsewhere to throw them off my scent and for all I know Sergio is dead."

"I do not hate you. That is ridiculous." He says finally, less angry but it's still there. "I do not hate you." I look at him expectantly.

"Then are you the one who is funding me? Because I'm pretty sure Tamaki's family is the one doing that. If anyone should dislike me, it would be him and even then he wouldn't show that." I say, gaining more confidence.

"No." He says, not looking away. Every essence of my being is telling me to back down...fight or flight is telling me to run. "I am under a lot of pressure from my father right now. I apologize for taking that out on you."

"What could he possibly be doing that would make you behave as you have been?" Tamaki asks, some bite to his tone.

"He is telling me...oh why the hell am I even talking about this." Kyoya says, rolling his eyes. He takes off his glasses.

"Because you are hurting someone who is precious to me. What is he doing, Kyoya?" Tamaki asks again, firmly standing his ground.

"It is a very personal matter, Tamaki, but I assure you that it has nothing to do with Miss Masson personally." He says, glancing at me briefly.

"So...you hate me...and you're trying to lie about it." I say as I quirk my eyebrow. The nerve of this guy...

"I don't hate you...I'm intrigued by you. It is interesting that it has taken this long for you to confront me." He says, looking at me hesitantly. "You used to be much more fierce from what I found on you."

"Then be intrigued instead of being an asshole. I can handle admirers...but not people who hate me. I was going to run away tonight until Takashi talked to me today." I say indignantly.

"What is with that?" Kyoya asks, looking irritated. "Did you forget that you're not supposed to do that?"

"He told me to call him Takashi. So in return I told him to call me Annie. You on the other hand may only call me Miss Masson. When you learn to be kind to me without faking it, you may call me Anya."

"Alright." He says, sighing. The ride ends then and the man who opened my door for me earlier is there. The three of us slide out of the car and I make my way inside.

"Well...I guess I'll see you at dinner if you stay that long, Kyoya." I say cordially before I make the break for my room. When I reach my sanctuary, I peel off my uniform and get into the shower in the adjoining bathroom. The water is as hot as I can handle and it starts to undo the knots in my shoulders as it hits my back. This has been my routine for the past month...survive a day and reward myself with the sanctity of a hot shower. Nobody, not even Kyoya, can bother me here. After a good amount of time passes, I wash my hair and everything else. I get out and wrap myself in a towel before I go back into my bedroom. I put on fresh clothes and brush out my hair.

"Miss?" A maid asks as she knocks. "Dinner is ready." I step into my ballet flats and head out the door.

"Thank you, Kiya." I say with a smile. I make my way through the mansion and to the dining room. Kyoya and Tamaki stand as I enter.

"You shouldn't walk around with wet hair." Kyoya grumps and I roll my eyes as I take my seat on Tamaki's left, across from Kyoya. "You'll catch a cold."

"Are you going to dry it for me? Because if not, then be silent." I say icily and his mouth falls into a harsh line.

"Dig in everyone!" Tamaki says with a nervous laugh as the food is placed in front of us. "Look Anya, it's your favorite!"

"It is." I say with a smile towards him. Politely, I place my napkin on my lap and we begin eating. When we reach the dessert course, it is a build your own crepe. Tamaki has obviously spoken with the chef.

"Your usual, Miss?" The maid asks and I nod, smiling at her. She puts the strawberries, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup on and folds it over before she places it in front of me.

"Whenever I get married, I will most definitely have crepes over cake." I note as we all dig in.

"I'm not sure Hunny-senpai will support that decision." Tamaki says with a laugh. "That is...if you invite us to your wedding."

"Of course...I will never forget what you have done for me." I say, almost shyly. "I'll miss everyone when I go home."

"Whenever that will be." Kyoya notes and I look at him. "Realistically Miss Masson...you are the safest in my company."

"Or Takashi's and Hunny-senpai's." I say in reference to their martial arts background. "Tamaki, did you know we were receiving a new student next month? From America!"

"My dad had mentioned something about that. A movie star none the less! I wonder what she'll be like." He enthuses, happy to be in calmer waters as far as conversation goes.

"He asked me to show her around, so I can introduce her to everyone." I smile and then I finish my crepe. "Well, if you gentlemen will excuse me. I have a phone date with someone." I stand and get out of there before Tamaki can bombard me with questions.

* * *

"Tamaki...it is fine. I didn't tell you I was going to the doctor because I knew you would panic. It is just a check up. I will be back after lunch." I say into my cell phone over the shrieking Frenchman. "Haru is with me and I'm sure three more security guards are tailing me. Ask Kyoya, it is one of his family's clinics."

"Why would you not tell big brother!?" He wails and I smile before I hang up the phone. It did not take me long to figure out how Tamaki works. Sometimes it is just better to keep him out of the loop. Another thing I have learned is to choose my battles...there are just some things that I cannot fight. Haruhi often compliments me on my ability to handle Tamaki. As I arrive at the clinic, Haru jumps out of the car and opens my door for me. I smile at him and we head inside. The nurse calls me back Immediately and I go back to the room where the doctor is waiting for me. She is a kind looking Japanese woman in her mid-forties, Mr. Ootori told me that she was the best female doctor in the area. I expect nothing less from the Ootori group.

"Good morning, Miss Masson. I am Dr. Honda and I have been assigned to your file." She greets me formally and I smile at her.

"Thank you for seeing me today, Dr. Honda." I say with a bow to show my respect for her. I'm getting the hang of this.

"It is my pleasure, please remove your shows and we will take your height and weight." She says, gesturing to the scale in the room. I take off my shoes and step on. She records the number. "Now over here." She says, gesturing to the wall. I stand against it and she measures my height. After we finish, I sit on the examination table. She checks my heart and my breathing. Everything is normal there. My reflexes are normal. My throat checks out. "My only concern is your weight. Your file shows that just last month you weighed almost twenty pounds more than you do now."

"Really?" I ask, confusion furrowing my eyebrows. "I didn't realize...I guess it makes sense."

"I can tell that you aren't starving yourself. I am going to recommend to Mr. Suoh that your eating be monitored...just so that no problems develop." She says, jotting down some notes. "Other than that, you are the image of health. There are just a couple of vaccines that you aren't totally up to date on and then you can go."

"Alright." I say with a nod. She jots some things down before she exits the room. Moments later a nurse comes in and gives me the shots that I need. After that, I head back to school with a note.

"Yay! Anya-senpai is back!" The twins shout as they run over to me. I hold up my arms to stop them in their tracks.

"Be gentle...I got two shots in each arm." I say and they do actually stop. "Wow, that really worked." I say, putting my arms down.

"Now we can play doctor and help the patient get better, eh Kaoru?" Hikaru says, almost seductively as they saunter over to me.

"Yeah...you'd better lay down." Kaoru says and Tamaki runs over and hugs me, keeping me away from them.

"I was so worried about you!" He exclaims and I smile and relax into his hug. This isn't a battle that I can fight.

"I'm sorry...but I'm sure Kyoya assured you I was okay." I say dryly, patting his back gently.

"Dr. Honda contacted me, Miss Masson, and I'd like to have a private word with you." Kyoya says as he enters. He looks angry. "Tamaki." The blond flinches under Kyoya's gaze and he releases me. I squeeze his hand before I follow my executio-I mean Kyoya. We walk to the back room and he closes the door. "No matter how much you think I dislike you, you must promise to be honest with me now." He says, his eyes on fire. I nod slowly. "Say it."

"I promise." I say, my voice quivering a little bit. I hate it, but he is scaring me. "What do you want me to be honest about?"

"Are you starving yourself?" He asks and I roll my eyes. "Dr. Honda expressed her concern about your weight loss."

"Did you listen all the way or did you pull a Tamaki and stop listening when you heard something alarming?" I ask, putting my hand on my hip. "We didn't discuss it, but it is probably stress. Some people stress eat, but I do not. I am the opposite. I think this past month has been pretty stressful on top of your beastly behavior. While I appreciate your concern, it is unnecessary."

"Miss Masson..." He says...his eyes still on fire with what I now see as uncharacteristic concern.

"Kyoya, I'm okay." I say softly. "Why are you so concerned?" I ask and he looks away, his glasses glinting in the light in what is usually considered an evil way. I walk over and take his glasses off. "I promise...I'm going to try and eat more. I'm sure the Chairman will contact me about it later."

"Did you really need to take my glasses off?" He asks, a very mild irritation on his tone. I smile at how playful it all seems.

"Yes...you look so scary sometimes and I wanted to see your eyes." I say softly. He looks at me, in awe. "I must be much prettier this way." I say in the same tone.

"Actually you're never bad looking." He says in his normal tone, taking his glasses back and checking them for smudges. "Good job not smudging them."

"I used to wear glasses, but then I got contacts. So I know the struggle." I say with a shrug. "They did not help with my aesthetics."

"They probably think I've murdered you, we better go back out." He says as he adjusts his jacket. "And Miss Masson..."

"Call me Anya...anyone who is so concerned about me that he runs himself ragged must harbor some kind notions about me." I say as I walk out.

"Is everything okay?" Takashi asks as I go to my usual spot. I look up at him and give him my first megawatt smile I've shown since I've been here.

"I think so...or at least they will be. Until Kyoya tells Tamaki what the doctor told him." I say thoughtfully and that is when the buffet style banquet is suddenly erected in my general vicinity.

"These foods are the finest that will be safe for you to eat to gain back the weight!" Tamaki exclaims as he runs over. "Men! We are to make sure that Anya's card gets stamped at least three times before we leave today!"

"Tama...I'm not sure that's healthy for Anya-chan." Hunny-senpai says as he hugs his bunny. "But Usa-chan thinks that you should eat more."

"Tamaki...boys...please don't freak out." I say gently. "I didn't want people to know...I knew you'd react this way." The laughter starts without me realizing it and it turns slightly hysterical.

"Just don't be stupid, Senpai. Okay?" Haruhi says, and I see the worry in her large glassy eyes. "We all care about you a lot and we want to see you healthy."

"Oh Haruhi." I say with a smile. "I care about all of you too." They then envelop me in a rib crushing hug. It really does feel like everything will be okay.


	2. Are You Quite Satisfied?

_Alright! So welcome to chapter two! You guys are really lucky if you like this story, because this almost didn't happen! I suffered from a severe lack of inspiration. Thankfully I have a friend who is super supportive of this story (all of my stories really) and my boyfriend who talked with me until like 3am. Anyway, this chapter is a good mix of plot and filler. The next couple of chapters will be mostly filler, but bear with me! It's just for good pacing. I'll stop babbling now, so go on and enjoy the story!_

"Alright and over here we have the music rooms. One and two are still used for musical purposes. Three is the home of the host club and four is empty. Three is where we are headed, the son of my...host family runs the host club and I spend my time with he and his friends." I say, leading the celebrity Adelaide Bennett down the hall. "Today may be a meeting day, but they'll be thrilled to meet you."

"Thanks for showing me around." She says with a smile. We walk into the room and the guys look over.

"Everyone, Adelaide Bennett. Adelaide, meet my friends. Mori-senpai, Hunny-senpai, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi. You remember Tamaki and Kyoya." I say, gesturing to each of them as I say their names.

"Of course, it's a pleasure to meet you." She says, her eyes lingering briefly on Takashi. The twins spring into action.

"Adelaide-senpai, please allow us to get you something to drink. Tea, coffee, water?" Hikaru says as he and Kaoru lead her over to one of the couches.

"Addie-chan! Do you want some cake?!" Hunny-senpai asks as he bounds over. Takashi is at his side as usual.

"I'll have coffee, but no cake today. Thank you for the offer." She says kindly to the small third year student. "Are they always so...rambunctious?"

"Honey, you haven't seen anything yet." I say with a chuckle. "They are good people...really good people."

"They seem like it. It seems like Glasses is sweet on you. He couldn't keep his eyes off of you." She says in a hushed whisper, leaning in close. I laugh at the absurdity.

"Oh no...that's impossible. He hated me until a week ago." I say and she looks dubious. "Seriously. He wasn't allowed to call me Anya until Friday. It's actually funny how fast the turn around happened."

"You'll have to tell me about it over coffee." She says and I smile. Okay...my first actual female friend since getting here. "Though it's kind of hard for me to go out in public without people freaking out. And with you needing to lay low...why don't we meet at my house or yours?"

"Well...yours would be better if we want have girl talk. More than one of them is always skulking around at my place." I say and she laughs.

"What are you ladies giggling about?" Tamaki asks as he walks over to us, serene host face on full force.

"I was just telling her about the family dynamic. Tamaki is "daddy". Kyoya is "mommy". Haruhi is the daugh-son. Hikaru and Kaoru are his brothers. And then Hunny and Mori are the friendly neighbors." I say, almost blowing Haruhi's cover.

"And you're my loving sister! Haruhi's aunt!" Tamaki exclaims, not noticing my almost slip...hopefully.

"It's cool...I know that Haruhi is a girl." Adelaide says and both Tamaki and I's jaws drop in a similar manner. "Come on...seriously? You thought I wouldn't notice?" She laughs.

"Most people don't notice. I think it has something to do with being Japanese." I whisper out of the side of my mouth.

"Hey!" The twins yell and I laugh. "Milord was the last one to find out!" Perfect unison as usual.

"Telling them apart gets easier as you get to know them. Visually though, Hikaru is usually on your left and Kaoru is usually on the right. Their hair is parted that way too." I inform her...and it's kind of fun giving her the rundown of things. In the past month I have learned a lot about these people and I can honestly say I love them all. "Ouran will be a wild ride, start to finish, but the relationships you have with the people will be worth it."

"That was so cute!" Tamaki exclaims as he picks me up in a hug and spins me around. "Kyoya, wasn't that the cutest thing you've ever heard!? And it was about us! We're worth it!"

"Tamaki, I'm going to barf if you don't stop." I say and he sets me down, a megawatt grin on his face.

"Barf is such an unladylike word." Hikaru chastises as Kaoru serve Adelaide, all charm and good manners.

"Be careful or I might retract my statement. Worth it, but also troublesome and annoying at times. Right Haruhi?" I say and she mutters her agreement.

"So, Haruhi, if you don't mind me asking...what's with the cross dressing?" Adelaide asks, and the story of Haruhi's involvement in the club is told.

* * *

"My new nickname is different. I've never been called 'Glasses' before." Kyoya says as I slide into his family's car, next to Tamaki.

"Americans are interesting people." I say, embarrassed that he had heard us talking. "She has such crazy ideas." I shake my head, chuckling. "Glasses is sweet on me...Ridiculous isn't it?"

"If you want to think so." He says cooly with a shrug. Tamaki looks between the two of us. My jaw must be on the floor. Does he like me? Is it his family that likes me and wants him to be involved with me?

"So summer break is soon!" Tamaki exclaims, changing the subject. "I was thinking that we could all go to the beach! Only this time just for the club. We could bring Adelaide too, since you seem to be close with her, Anya."

"That sounds heavenly." I smile and turn to look out the window at the passing scenery. We arrive at home and I go to get out of the car. Kyoya gets out too, which is strange because lately he's been going straight home after dropping us off. The three of us walk in the door and the staff greets us warmly. I smile as I head for the stairs.

"Actually, Anya, may I have a word?" Kyoya asks, his tone betraying nothing at all. I nod and lead the way into the drawing room.

"Tea?" I ask, my manners taking over. It's odd, I never thought stuff like that would come naturally to me.

"Please." He says and I smile to the maid, Hana. She quietly exits the room and I sit down. As etiquette demands, he too sits down. That's what a gentleman does. "So...we need to talk about something that is very important."

"Does it have to do with my parents?" I ask, my voice very small. Hana comes back and sets the tea tray on the coffee table in between us. "Thank you." I say to her, dismissing her. She leaves, closing the door quietly behind her. I sit forward to serve the tea, but Kyoya stops me.

"Yes. However, I don't think it's the way that you think it is." He says and my shoulders slump a little. I hadn't noticed how tense I was. "Our parents are in business together. In more ways than one, obviously. We are in charge of your protection, and as far as I can tell my father is more than happy to help. It has come to our attention that your family is in deeper trouble than we had initially thought."

"What did my family do?" I ask quietly. He was wrong, it is exactly as I had feared. I knew that the situation was worse than I thought.

"Please, drink your tea." He says, sensing my distress. I take a sip and look at him expectantly. "That is what my father wouldn't tell me, so I did some digging of my own. It was your mother's side of the family...apparently before she was engaged to your father, she was engaged to the son of a wealthy American oil tycoon. Her father saw a better opportunity, and so your mother married into your father's family."

"Wow..." I sit back, shocked. I guess I never imagined my mom with anyone but my dad...or arranged marriages. I mean...I knew, but they love each other.

"Yes, but as it turns out, the man your mother was originally promised to had developed an obsession with her. Wealth plus years of resentment and anger does not equal anything pleasant." He says and I take another sip of my tea.

"So why is he after me?" I ask, and his glasses glint in the light in a way that scares me. "Kyoya?"

"I'm not entirely sure...but my guess is he sees her when he sees you, so he has fixated on you." As he speaks, chills run down my spine. "My father has approached me with two options for your continued protection for the rest of your life." He sounds almost nervous as he speaks. "I fear that you won't like either very much..."

"Just tell me...I'm sure it's fine. If it's permanent protection, then it must be pretty drastic." I say, steeling myself for what is to come.

"Personally, I hate that there is a 'choice', but it is my duty to relay to you your father's wishes...as he knows yours feelings on...well..." He coughs, looking away, glasses glinting again. "Anya...your father has proposed to my father that you join either my family or Mori-senpai's...as we have the most ability to protect you. Both of our fathers have agreed...the decision is ultimately up to you though. Your father has given you the time restriction of the end of your third year."

"Are you guys okay with that?" I ask, shock filling my voice and my hands shaking. "I mean...we are all friends, so wouldn't that sort of make things weird for us?"

"We will do what we need to do in order to ensure your safety. Both Mori-senpai and I are both fine with whatever decision you make. We are honored to be able to assist." He says, his voice back to its normal fashion. "Mori-senpai wanted to be here when I told you, but he had kendo practice."

"Of course…" I say, smiling a little bit. "Well…I guess since I have time, you guys might not get stuck with me."

"As I said before, you aren't exactly bad looking." He says, drinking his tea without looking at me. "And…while you may be a bit harsh sometimes, you're not bad company. Clearly your relationship with Mori-senpai is better than ours."

"Well…to be fair, you've been very cold to me." I say, looking at him. Suddenly there is a knock on the door. "Yes?"

"Miss….Mr. Morinozuka is here, asking to see you." Hana says, bowing politely to me.

"Oh, send him in." I say with a smile and she bows again before she exits the room again. "Shall we make him think I'm surprised?" I ask, laughing a little bit.

"Nice try." Takashi says as he walks in. He sits down in the other chair facing me. "I knew you'd be worried, so I left practice a little early."

"It's like you know me or something." I say, trying needlessly to hide my true feelings. "So…I'm either going to end up dead or married to one of you guys…I guess there are worse things."

"Thanks." Takashi says, smiling slightly. "I don't need to tell you that I will protect you, regardless of your decision." Could I really marry either of them? I mean…of course they're both good looking and they have great hearts. As far as our families go…I guess either would help in my father's business. Both families are fantastic families to have connections with.

"Of course not." I say with a smile. "It's just a lot to take in…I mean marriage has never been something openly discussed in my household. There was a scare a couple of years ago and my father didn't want a rebellious heiress on his hands, so he dropped it. I am…what he calls strong-willed."

"Oh believe me, we know." Kyoya says in what I detect to be a bit of a sarcastic tone. "However, we should keep this under wraps as it could hurt the host club."

"Not to mention those crazy girls….they already don't like that I'm friends with you all." I say dryly.

"As I suspected. Please let me know if any of them cause any trouble for you." Kyoya says and Takashi hums his agreement.

"So far there haven't been any problems…Today was especially good. I think they're intimidated by Adelaide." I note, thinking back to her watching Takashi. What if she likes him…and Kyoya's father gets impatient and marries Kyoya off to someone else? Then I'd have to marry Takashi. I mean, it wouldn't be bad, but what if Adelaide likes him? They would be good together.

"What are you worrying about?" Takashi asks and Kyoya looks at my face, shocked that he couldn't tell apparently.

"Shut up." I say as I stand. They both stand as well, always gentlemen. "Are you going to stay for dinner?"

"I invited everyone over for dinner!" Tamaki exclaims as he runs in. "Haruhi declined, claiming she had some shopping to do, but she said that she would next time!"

"I guess that settles it then…I'm going to go and change." I say as I head out of the room. "And I'm really sorry for causing all of this trouble." I walk out before Takashi can stop me. I head up to my room and get into the shower immediately, washing my hair and body. I stand under the warm water, letting it wash over me. I'm going to have to marry one of them…I guess I shouldn't say it like that. They're not bad people…I'm lucky in a way. At least I know them…but could I love them? I mean…initially it wouldn't be out of love…I'd be like a parasite living off of them just for protection. I never wanted to marry for something like that. I've never needed to be protected.

"Miss?" There's a knock on the door. It's Hana…she always seems to be especially worried about me. "Are you alright? Miss?" The door opens and she holds the towel out for me. "I know it isn't my place, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I don't gossip with the others." She says, grabbing another towel and gently drying my face.

"Oh Hana…" I say and fresh tears spill out of my eyes. She leads me out into my bedroom where she has laid out one of my favorite outfits, but first she helps me into my robe and sets me down at my vanity where she goes about drying and brushing my hair. "I'm going to have to marry either Kyoya or Takashi…or get killed by some psychopath."

"To be fair, Miss, they both seem to love you. Mr. Ohtori and Mr. Morinozuka, they seem to love you maybe in different ways. Mr. Ohtori…has always seemed cold and calculating…" She says and I laugh.

"You've got that right." I say and she smiles gently. "I know he does care…he's just always been in a competition. That's why I feel bad now…because he'll be competing for my hand because that's what his father wants. It's kind of insulting."

"I don't know about that, Miss. He has been very watchful over you…he comes over more often than before." She says and I shake my head.

"I think I'll have to choose Kyoya anyway…I made a new friend today and I don't want to douse her chances with Takashi." I say with a smile. "Of course, I don't want to let him know that. I should make him sweat a little…make him work for it."

"That sounds like an excellent idea, Miss. I'll leave you to get dressed." She says as she bows.

"Thank you, Hana….it was nice to talk to someone about it." I say and she bows again before she leaves. I dress in the clothes and head downstairs.

"Nice place." Adelaide says as I reach the last step. I jump, having not noticed her and she laughs. "Sorry. Tamaki invited me over…he seems to think that I'm part of the family now."

"I'll take it. It'll be good to have another girl around." I say with a smile. "Come on, everyone is probably in the living room." I lead the way down the hall and open the door to the living room.

"There you are! I was starting to get worried!" Tamaki exclaims as he runs over to me. "And Adelaide! It's so lovely to see you again!"

"I still don't know how you got my number." She says, giving him a light glare, but to him it's withering. He's reduced to a depressed heap in the corner. "Uh…"

"It's fine, just leave him." I say, completely unphased. "It's usually pretty normal by Takashi and Hunny-senpai." I say as I make my way over to them. I feel eyes on me, and I know it's Kyoya…he's strategizing. How can he get me to choose him? I'm not the flowers and chocolates sort of girl. He must know I like music, I always use it to tune everything out.

"Uh, you can call me Addie if you want to." Adelaide says to Hunny-senpai, smiling at him, a maternal look that most girls get around him. "You too, Anya."

"Okay, then call me Annie. They do." I say, nodding at the two upperclassman. "Stick close to these two, and you'll most likely be safe. Hikaru and Kaoru like playing dress up because their mom is a fashion designer….so avoid them if you don't like being violated."

"Hey!" They both call and I blow them a kiss. They shake their heads in unison before they go back to tormenting Tamaki.

"Haruhi is very apathetic, which can be a very good thing. Then…Kyoya is…well…frankly a little scary. You and him will probably get along very well." I joke and she laughs. "He's probably the reason Tamaki had your number."

"Stalker." She mutters and his glasses glint in the light. "Your commentary is really helpful."

"I wish I had someone to help me out when I first got here." I say with a laugh and Takashi pats my head. I look at the clock on the wall. "Dinner should be served soon. Shima has had an iron fist lately when it comes to dinner time."

"Who is Shima?" Addie asks and I smile. "And why does it feel like I'm going to love this lady?"

"She is the head of the staff here. She's the best; she always makes sure that the chef makes my favorites." I say fondly. "You probably will love her."

"Dinner is served." The lady in question says as she enters the room. "Please make your way to the dining room."

"Thank you, Shima." Tamaki says and we all make our way in there. I walk over to my usual seat and Kyoya pulls out my chair for me.

"Thanks." I say as I sit down. He takes a seat on my other side. Addie wags her eyebrows at me as the twins dote on her as they help her into her own chair. He normally sits across from me while Tamaki heads up the table. I sit through dinner mostly quiet, contributing a little to the conversation when necessary. Addie most certainly is attracted to Takashi, which is good.

"It feels like you have chosen." Kyoya says quietly, and everyone else continues on in their separate conversations. "Might I ask who it is?"

"Now why would I make it that easy?" I ask quietly, pushing my food around my plate. I sound confident, like I'm on his level in the lines of playing games, but really I'm floundering.

"Because the sooner you decide, the sooner your father can have a little bit of peace." He says, aiming low.

"If my father wanted peace, he shouldn't have sent me to Japan." I say and then I smirk at him. "And he most certainly shouldn't have tried to pair me with an Ohtori."

"I suppose I can give you that one." He says before he takes a drink of water. "You should eat more."

"Like I could under this pressure." I mutter, pushing my food around my plate. "You should move your nose to someone else's business."

"I'm quite satisfied where I am, thank you." He says and I look up at him. His eyes are twinkling in amusement behind his glasses.

"As long as you're satisfied." I mutter, looking away and Addie catches my eye. I wink at her and she smirks.

"For now." He mutters back and that stops me in my tracks. "I have begun planning a trip to the beach for our summer break. Adelaide, you're welcome to come as well."

"That's not for a while is it?" Addie asks, glancing down at her phone in her lap. "Why are we planning so far ahead?"

"Haruhi likes to have her own money for ventures such as this, so it's a courtesy for her." Kyoya says and I smile a little…even though he acts like he doesn't, he really does care for people.

"Alright." Addie says with a shrug. "The beach sounds cool. I've never been to a Japanese beach before."

"Neither have I." I say with a smile. "They're probably more conservative than French beaches."

"I'd say so." She says and we laugh together. "I went one time and when I got there, I was the only female for miles and there were dicks as far as the eye could see." I crack up, laughing harder than I have in a long time. Tamaki gasps, like she had just personally offended him. The twins are laughing just as hard as I am and the older students are just doing their own thing. "What?"

"You're the most blunt I've heard even including Haruhi." I say, clutching my side as my laughter causes it to hurt. She just shrugs and goes back to her dessert. I can see myself being good friends with this girl.

* * *

I quietly make my way through the house with my guitar case on my back. I hold my shoes in my hands so I make less noise. I head outside, closing the door silently. I put my shoes on and make the mad dash for my secret hideout. Once I'm concealed by the trees and flowers I sigh in relief. I sit down on the bench and open up the guitar case. I pick it up, a serene smile gracing my lips, and tune it. I hold it, embracing it like the old friend it is before I start strumming. I don't really play anything at first, but then I find myself playing the beginning of Turning Page by Sleeping At Last. I sing and play and it's the most liberating feeling I've had lately. I take a deep breath when I finish and jump when someone claps.

"That was lovely." Kyoya says, not moving from his spot. I stand up a little and pull him out of the entrance.

"This is my secret spot…I…" I look away, letting my voice fade. "What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way to visit Tamaki when I saw you running across the lawn." He says and I look up at him skeptically.

"I have a source that says you visit more often than you did before." I say, trying to stand my ground again.

"Before what?" He asks boldly, and I purse my lips. "I have a security detail that goes everywhere with me, so I feel better when I'm around you because I have men who I can trust entirely around. May I?" He asks, gesturing to the spot on the bench next to me.

"Sure…" I say, moving my guitar case. I gently place it back inside before I turn to look at him. "So…you feel better when you're around me?" I ask smugly.

"I know you're safe, which is part of what I'm supposed to make sure of." He says, flushing slightly. "You look happy when you play."

"You're only saying that because of the other part of what you're supposed to do." I say, closing the lid gently. "You're supposed to make me fall in love with you because that's what your father wants."

"That may be what he wants." Kyoya agrees and for some reason that hurts me. "Honestly, he doesn't care so much that there's love…just that I'm the one you choose. If you do choose me though, I think I would want it to be out of love. It would be interesting….a change of pace."

"I knew this was just a game to you." I say with a laugh. "Like I said, if you guys are lucky you won't have to worry about marrying me."

"I'm not going to let you get murdered by some scorned lunatic." He says with a sigh. "Why don't you play something else?"

"Why don't you kiss my ass." I mutter in French as I grab my guitar again. He raises an eyebrow at me. "I know you speak German, but do you also speak French?"

"Fluently." He says dryly and I grin at him before I start playing Dust to Dust by The Civil Wars. He looks thoroughly impressed when I'm finished. "I knew you were accomplished, but I didn't know…" He shakes his head. "But about your statement earlier…"

"Oh Kyoya, you've been kissing my ass for a month." I say with a laugh. "All jokes aside, you try to boss me around too much." I set my guitar aside. "Anya, you should eat more. Anya, play something else. Anya, don't run off. Anya this, Anya that."

"It's a lovely name." He says, going for charming and I can't help but roll my eyes. "If you were more careful, I wouldn't need to boss you around." He says, putting air quotes around 'boss'. "You make it so easy to care for you."

"Like…emotions? Or do you mean care for me like Hana cares for me?" I ask and he raises an eyebrow at me. "She's my favorite maid…she's often the one who fetches me from the shower when Tamaki begins to worry. Don't give me that look!"

"What look?" Kyoya asks, raising his eyebrow, no doubt shocked by my sudden outburst at the end. He looks a little confused…which is nice to see on Kyoya. I like making him be human.

"You, along with everyone else, think it's weird that I take so many showers." I say and he shrugs, which is weird on him…so improper.

"I've discovered that it is how you cope with stress." He says, looking around. "And if taking two to three showers a day is what it takes to have you at a nice, healthy weight, then I will personally hire someone to build you the most luxurious shower in all of Japan."

"Money talks." I say and he actually laughs. "I do like the shower in my bathroom though. This is totally inappropriate to talk about."

"Hey, I'm potentially your future fiancé. Stuff like this shouldn't matter." He says and I blush a little. "No pressure."

"There is all of the pressure in the world, Kyoya. You don't know what it's like to be a daughter. Third son, yes, that is difficult, but there are girls like me being paraded around like property. I'm lucky that you guys are actually my friends." I say and he looks at me, serious. "Hell…I'm lucky that I have a choice."

"I suppose that I have to give you that one." He says thoughtfully. "However much pressure there is…I'm not trying to add to it, I'm only trying to make this interesting."

"So it is a game." I say and he shakes his head. "Then what is it to you, Kyoya?" I ask and he smiles a little.

"That remains to be seen. You see…I thought that this would be a game. I only need to make you like me better than Mori-senpai. Then I realized something…" He says, looking up at some flowers.

"What did you realize?" I ask and he shrugs. For the first time ever, I'm starting to see him as actually a teenage boy rather than an evil Shadow King. "You can tell me…I am potentially your future fiancé."

"I want you to like me…even if you don't pick me." He says, his eyebrows drawing together.

"This is a strange concept for you." I say and he nods. "Is that why you were such a jerk before?"

"Somewhat." He doesn't want to give too much away anymore. I don't push, because I know it took a lot for him to actually talk to me.

"Well…I like nice Kyoya better. Teasing Kyoya is a dick. And well…you know how I feel about mean Kyoya." I say, putting my guitar back in its case.

"You only think so because you can't think of any way to tease me back." He says and I smirk…oh if he only knew.

"If you want to think that, Kyoya, I guess I can't stop you." I say with a shrug and then I stretch.

"If I may…why were you playing all the way out here? Tamaki has a very nice music room that I know he wants you to use." He asks and I shrug.

"Because I know if I he knew I was playing again, he would try and make me perform for the club or something. I'm only playing again because I didn't realize how close it made me feel to my mother." I don't look at him. "I think that's why they had me move in here…as opposed to your house. Tamaki and I have quite a few things in common."

"I think that you're right about why they moved you in here, but I disagree about your music. If you explained to Tamaki your reasoning, you'll find that he is rather understanding." He says in a gentle tone.

"I might try it…but I really like having a secret spot. The air feels a little lighter here and I can actually think." I say taking a deep breath. "Not to mention the flowers are gorgeous."

"They are rather impressive, aren't they?" He sighs as he stands up. "Tamaki is going to notice that you're not inside, so we should go."

"Alright." I say, latching my guitar case closed. Kyoya takes it from me and we begin walking. "I can carry my own guitar, you know."

"What kind of gentleman would I be if I allowed a lady such as yourself to carry something heavy?" He says and I shake my head. "You should play for me again sometime, it was quite lovely."

"Not on your life." I say dryly. "Piano…perhaps. I don't play classical unless it's for my grandmother though."

"I look forward to the day when you grace me with that honor." He says, sounding like he does when he's a host. It is then that I can see why the girls love him so much.

"Don't try to host me." I say, taking my guitar case from him as we enter the house. As we enter, Hana approaches us.

"Mr. Ohtori, Miss." She says bowing out of respect…most likely for Kyoya's benefit since I told her to stop that. "Master Tamaki has been looking for you, he was in the living area the last I saw. I can take your guitar up to your room for you."

"Thank you, Hana." I say, smiling warmly at her. She takes the case from me and bows again before walking away. "It's funny…I feel like a princess living here. If I was a princess, I would make Hana my lady in waiting…she's wonderful. I guess that's kind of dumb…thinking that way."

"I don't think so." He says, smirking at me. "You are a princess to us, and Hana does take especially good care of you."

"I'll excuse your smirk…for now." I say and open the door to the living room. "Tamaki, don't freak out so much." I flop down on a couch and he flings himself at me.

"I was so worried! I thought that you had been kidnapped by a band of thieves who were forcing you to cook and clean for them!" He cries, hugging me around the waist.

"Please….Kyoya's recent stalker tendencies wouldn't allow for that." I say, but it doesn't soothe him. I just let him cry into my stomach. "I'm fine, Tamaki. I'm sorry for making you worry."

"That's alright…where were you guys?" He asks and I blush a little. Realization dawns on him. "Oh…Congratulations Kyoya, and you too Anya!"

"What? No!" I exclaim. "I have not decided yet. I…started playing music again…but in private because I was scared you would make me play for the club. Kyoya saw me heading to my hiding place and followed. Hence his new stalker title."

"Anya! I would never make you do something that you weren't comfortable with." Tamaki says as he lets go of me. "I'm happy that you've started playing again! You have seemed much happier as of late, and might I say you are starting to look like the picture of health!"

"You just called me fat." I say, laughing in disbelief. As Tamaki panics and tries to make it up to me, I look to Kyoya and he has a small smile on his face. When he notices me watching him, the smile vanishes.

* * *

"Addie. I have a problem." I say as I enter her mansion. This is the third time I've been over this week, not that she minds. She says that it's kind of lonely there all by herself most of the time.

"What's the problem?" She asks, looking concerned. "I've got connections in Tahiti. We can be on a plane in twenty minutes."

"No…not that sort of problem." I say and she looks both relieved and disappointed at the same time. "I think…I'm falling in love with Kyoya. It's a problem because I don't want to let that smug bastard win."

"This is a new side of you, Annie. I like it." She says, leading the way to her favorite room in the mansion. We sit down on beanbag chairs across from each other. "Soda?" She asks and I nod. She nods to her butler and he leaves us. "Now, tell Addie all about it."

"Well…last…was it Tuesday? No…it was after school on Thursday. I went out to my little secret place in the garden and I was playing my guitar." I say, but stop as the butler returns…I think his name is Alfred, ironically enough. He presents us with our Dr. Pepper before he exits again. "And…I guess Kyoya was coming for a visit and he saw me…so he heard me play and then we were talking." I pause to take a drink. "He wants me to like him! It's not entirely a game to him! This changes everything!"

"Calm down…it's good that it isn't a game to him." She says, smiling at me. "I mean, you said you were choosing him anyway, right? What's the problem?"

"Yeah…but it's a problem because…I don't know. I'm scared. I'm only seventeen; I shouldn't have to worry about getting married yet." I sigh and she smiles. "You're so lucky…you have so much freedom and I'm just some parasite."

"Well, if you marry for love isn't that better than just marrying for the protection his family can offer?" She questions and I sigh again. "Hey…it is scary, but I'm sure that Kyoya can be a good guy."

"Yeah…he can be when he wants to." I say with a small smile. "So…how are things with Takashi?"

"I still think that you're wrong about that." She says, shaking her head. "I mean sure…he's a god amongst men…and probably everything I could possibly want in a man, but there's no way that he would be interested in me."

"I am going to talk to him. I am going to have my Takashi Morinozuka silent emotion guide in hand and I am going to prove to you that he is interested!" I exclaim and then we laugh together. And in that moment I swear we were actual teenage girls.


	3. Operation: Crazy On You

_Welcome to chapter 3! I've just got a few things I want to let you know before you begin reading. On my profile page, there is a link that will take you to my Polyvore account that is associated with my stories. Really it's only this one so far, but if you're interested in seeing what I see Anya in when I'm writing, go check it out! Next, I know I've been updating pretty regularly lately, but things are about to get a little hectic. I will try to have chapter 4 done by Wednesday next week, but I've got 3 four page papers to write! Yikes! Finally, I just wanted to talk about Kyoya's mother. I have decided to take artistic license with her since she really isn't a big character in the manga. Let me know what you think! Anyway, thank you for your attention and dedication to this story! Enjoy the chapter!_

"Addie…you're quite sure about this?" I ask, looking out the car window. Today, we decided to ditch our yellow uniforms in favor of a new sort of uniform that the Headmaster approved for us to test out.

"Absolutely. Don't you feel much better without that yellow monstrosity? And besides, you've got to give Kyoya hell. You look hot." She says, giving me an encouraging smile. "Come on, it's now or never."

"Let's choose never…" I say and she laughs, opening the door. We step out and everyone stops what they are doing and they stare at us. The boys seem to especially enjoy it…as this is more leg than they're used to seeing. We've toned back the girl's uniform by going with a simple black skirt and we had the boy's jacket tailored to fit us. I see Tamaki rushing towards us, the rest of the club not too far behind him.

"May we speak to you in private?" Tamaki says, his face flushed, no doubt thinking about Haruhi in a uniform like this.

"Sure." Addie says with a shrug. They lead us across campus and into some room. "You're not going to murder us, are you?"

"Maybe not you two." Kyoya says, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What are you wearing?"

"A school uniform." I say, using my new found sass that Addie has encouraged me to use. "You like it?"

"It suits you, but you seem to be causing disruption amongst the other male students." He says and that fires Addie right up. Frankly, it kind of makes me angry too.

"So just because teenage boys are a bunch of perverts means that we have to wear those yellow monstrosities? We have to cover up just so that you perverts can keep yourselves pure? I don't think so." She says, poking him in the chest. "Oh! I have legs!? When the hell did that happen!?" She shakes her leg around.

"We don't mean it like that Addie-chan." Hunny-senpai says, his eyes holding concern. "We think that you ladies should be able to dress however you want to…"

"We are worried about your safety on campus, as you are both attractive ladies." Takashi says and Addie blushes a little bit. That seems to put her fire out a little…but it's still there.

"So it is still a problem of women being expected to be responsible for a man's thoughts…but you guys don't feel that way?" She asks, and they shake their heads. "Haruhi, what do you think of this?"

"Why should you even have to wear a skirt? I think that if you were more comfortable in pants that should be allowed." She says and Addie smiles.

"Alright…but at the first sign of the rest of you slipping up, I won't hold back from decking you in the face, got it!" She threatens, looking specifically at the twins. It's amazing how she knows them in such a short time.

"We'd better get to class." Haruhi says, looking at her watch in vague concern. "I'll see you guys at lunch." She says to Addie and I before she scurries off, the twins trailing behind her.

"Come on Tamaki, you can cry along the way." I say as we begin trekking towards our classroom.

"Haruhi has lunch with you two?" Tamaki asks, clearly upset by this. "How come she never has lunch with me?"

"Because…we aren't weird about being friends with her." Addie says simply. "That…and she's been helping me with an issue."

"Please don't upset our king so badly before class." Kyoya says, pinching the bridge of his nose again. He's always so bad tempered in the morning.

"It's okay Tamaki…Haruhi has been helping us with our Japanese." I say, patting him on the elbow.

"Really? That's so nice! I knew that Haruhi was a wonderful person!" He exclaims, coming out of his funk.

"You're too good at that, Annie." Addie says, shaking her head at me. "See you later, Takashi…Hunny." She says, waving to the third years as she walks into the classroom. I wink at Takashi and nudge him with my elbow before waving and walking in behind her. "My fellow young women of class 2-A, feast your eyes upon what could be in your future! No more will you have to wear the traditional girl's uniform! Headmaster Suoh has agreed to have a trial run for these uniforms! If you're unsure of the shorter skirt, there is even an option for a longer one!"

"Adelaide, you and Anya really convinced the Headmaster to do this?" One of the girls that hates us the least asks, walking over to us.

"Yeah, it was really easy. He was having dinner with Tamaki, Kyoya, Addie and I and we brought up the uniforms. He said that he never thought anything of it because no one had ever said anything." I say simply, smiling at her.

"When can we start wearing those uniforms?" She asks, almost shyly. "I think I would prefer to wear that sort of uniform…"

"Well, he wants us to have three ladies in each year try out the uniform for the next two weeks. So we were going to randomly select a name. So if all goes well, we could start after summer break." I say as I grab the strips of paper with every girl's name on it. I put it in the jar I brought and shake it up. "Tamaki, would you do the honor and draw a name for us? Just so they know that it's fair." I ask and he smiles, the princely type.

"Of course! I would love to support such a noble cause as this!" He says smoothly as he walks over and draws a name out of the jar. "Alas! Miss Kairi Natsuo, you will be the young lady to help test out the new uniform for the second year students! If you wish, of course."

"That sounds fine." The girl in question says, not looking up from her book. "Just let me know what I need to do." She says, glancing over at us before going back to her book.

"Well! That's that!" I say, smiling at everyone. Some girls look impassive, but others are glaring at me. I'm not sure if it's the uniform thing or the fact that I'm so close with the host club.

* * *

I walk into the club room and immediately turn to go. Matching sets of arms hook underneath mine and drag me back in.

"What is going on?" I ask, trying to get free of my captors. They let go, but stay close so that I don't try to run away again.

"We heard a rumor." Kyoya says, his gaze icy. "A rumor that you and Adelaide were planning on starting a club that is similar to our own."

"Well, it is just that, a rumor that you guys are ridiculous for believing." I say, putting my hands on my hips. The way Kyoya is looking at me really bothers me. "Why would I want men pawing at me? I get enough of that from these two chuckleheads." I gesture at Hikaru and Kaoru. "Which reminds me, I need your help with something later." I then turn to look at Kyoya again. "If we're quite done here, I think I would rather leave."

"We're finished then, I suppose." He says and I turn on my heel and walk away. "But I would recommend that you wait for Tamaki and I."

"And where would you recommend I do that?" I ask, my voice dripping with sarcasm as I turn back around. "Never mind." I shake my head turning around again. "Dick." I mutter in French and I hear the sharp intake of breath from Tamaki. I know he wants to yell at me for using that kind of language and I will probably hear about it later, but I don't care. Tears sting in my eyes and I begin actively searching for Addie. I find her carrying a few books. She takes one look at me, and I see the murder in her eyes.

"You're a good friend of mine, and I respect your wishes…but you need to torture that boy." She says, tapping her chin in thought. "I have a couple of ideas…the first, what if we started a club like theirs, but we weren't exclusively for men. What if we were just a club for people to go to when they didn't have anything better to do after school?"

"No…" I say, shaking my head. "They heard rumors about that and cornered me on it. They are very against that idea…Takashi too."

"Okay…we'll set that plan aside for now. My next plan involves Hikaru and Kaoru." She places the books in her bag. "We'll invite them over to my house. We don't have to wait here for them if you don't want."

"Kyoya told me to stay…but oh well." I say, smiling at the rebellion igniting itself within me. I am going to make Kyoya sweat every single day until I let him know my decision, even if it kills me.

* * *

"So wait…you've got to either marry Mori-senpai or Kyoya-senpai and you have to decide by the end of high school?" Hikaru asks and I nod. "So, what do you need our help with?"

"Well, first of all, I've seen your doodles of clothes and stuff…so I wanted to ask you two to design my dress…" I say and they look like I've given them the best gift ever. They hug me. "Well there's more…you see…since Kyoya was a jerk to me, I have decided to invoke my own sort of payback. He really wants me to make my decision now, and I have, but I'm not going to tell him until the end of next year."

"Well…who are you picking?" Kaoru asks and I smile a little bit. "It's Mori-senpai, isn't it?"

"Actually…you're wrong…I'm picking Kyoya. I want to drive him crazy though, so I need your help in…well…in being attractive. I'm kind of awkward when it comes to my body" I say, trying to not squirm. "Addie has been a big help, but even she can't do it all. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think that you guys would be the best men for the job."

"We are honored that you have come to us." Hikaru says with a devious smirk. "We would love to help you seduce Kyoya-senpai."

"Don't say it like that!" I scold them, my cheeks turning scarlet. "Just teach me how to be attractive."

"The good news is that you're not as awkward as you think. You do have a lot of natural beauty about you." Kaoru says as he makes a circle around me. From nowhere, he produces a measuring tape and he begins taking my measurements.

"Yes…so really we only need to teach you how enhance what is already there. The high heels were a fabulous touch by the way. We'll send you some packages tonight along with instructions, but for now we'll get you into training." Hikaru steps closer and starts messing with my hair. "First of all…you have a lovely neck. It is very slender and delicate. So you could try to draw more attention to it by styling your hair like this. The curls look absolutely beautiful in this bun and then this piece right here…you leave it down. Now, when you're near him all you need to do is tuck the lock behind your ear, but follow it all the way down and to the first button on your shirt."

"You're absolutely devious." Addie says, giddy with the idea of me taking control of my sexuality or whatever. "How do you feel about thigh high stockings?"

"Not overly enthusiastic?" I say, phrasing it as more of a question though. "Do you guys really think that I can do this without a makeover?"

"Anya…please listen to us." Kaoru says, taking both of my hands. "You truly are a beautiful woman. I'm almost jealous of the guy." He says, a devious look in his eyes. "Almost. But anyway…take it from us. All you need to do is learn how to flirt and he will be eating out of the palm of your hand. Kyoya-senpai is different with you."

"It's true…we wouldn't be able to get away with half the stuff that you do. I don't know what got into him today." Hikaru says, shaking his head. "This will work…you only have a slight disadvantage. You throw in some zingers, but by the time we're through with you, you'll be a pro."

"I trust you three…" I say after taking a deep breath. "Okay…let's do this." I nod and they pull me over to Addie's vanity.

"I have another idea…why don't we make him jealous? Tell him that your dad added me to the list of suitors that you get to choose from. That'll throw him for a loop." Hikaru says and I look up at him skeptically.

"You just want to be a contender." I say and he shrugs. "Okay…you'll announce it tomorrow at club?"

"That sounds perfect." Hikaru says and I smile before I am thrusted into the most intense boot camp ever.

* * *

"Holy Hell." I say quietly as I step out of the car. "I want to go home." I look back at Addie, but she only pushes me forward.

"Come on, Hot Stuff. You've got this. If everything else makes you uncomfortable, just do the hair thing." She says encouragingly. We walk up to where Hikaru and Kaoru are standing with Haruhi.

"Whoa baby!" Hikaru says and Kaoru grins, giving me a thumbs up. "How do you feel?" He asks, smoothing my hair a little bit.

"Exposed." I say, the most confidence I've had in a response all morning. "Are the shoes too much?"

"The shoes are just enough, darling." Kaoru says and then he grins. "There's lover boy now. Why don't you walk in his direction and then trip? He'll catch you."

"I don't know…It doesn't make sense. I'm always really good in heels." I say, in my mind rejecting the idea outright. I just feel bad because they've done so much for me already…they really just want to help.

"Okay…Annie, I only do this because I love you." Addie says as she turns me around and gives me a slap on the rump before she shoves me into Kyoya. He quickly puts his hands on my waist to steady me and my hands instinctively go to his chest. I look up at him, slightly flushed, before I take a step back.

"Sorry about that…I tripped." I say, folding one of my arms behind my back. I push the devilish lock of hair behind my ear, just as Hikaru showed me.

"It's quite alright." Kyoya says, flushing just the tiniest bit. "Are you okay?" He asks, seeming like he's genuinely concerned. Maybe it's just an act. I look at him for a moment longer. Something is off about his appearance, which isn't like him at all.

"I should ask you the same…Come here." I say, gently pulling his arm so that he stoops a little lower. I lay the back of my hand against his forehead. "Do you feel alright? You seem a little warm."

"I'm fine, thank you for your concern. May I walk you to class?" He asks and I nod slowly. I walk with my arms firmly folded behind my back. That's wrong though, isn't it? I drop my arms and 'accidentally' graze his fingertips with my own. He doesn't seem to take notice. The rest of the walk to the classroom is silent. Was that a stupid move for me to make? Of course he wouldn't want to hold these clammy mitts.

When we get there, I sit in my seat and Kyoya takes his own seat next to me. He takes out his notebook and gets a head start on what the teacher is writing on the board. Out of desperation for something to do with myself, I do the same. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him do a double take at my hand, falling into the trap we had set. One glance at my left hand and you'd think that I had a ring on that special finger…but no, it's just a ring on my middle finger.

"That's a lovely ring." He notes, and my cheeks flush. Hikaru told me that a lot of my natural beauty was in how open my face was. I look up at him, and bite my lip a little before I smile.

"Thank you, a childhood friend got it for me years ago." I say before I go back to writing. "Ironically, he said that the diamond reminded him of how cold my heart was…whatever that means. I think it might be a reference to how cold my hands always are." I realize that I'm babbling.

"Here." He says, taking one of my hands. "Mine are always warm." I feel the glares piercing my back as Kyoya holds my hand and continues writing. "You can copy my notes later." Throughout the lesson, the teacher doesn't seem to notice Kyoya and I. My heart races the entire time…almost like electricity is pulsing where our skin touches. He doesn't seem to notice me much after that. I try literally everything to try and get him to notice me. The most effective thing was the piece of hair that keeps getting in my way.

* * *

At lunch I meet up with Addie, Hikaru and Kaoru. They take one look at me and look concerned.

"What's wrong?" Hikaru asks as I plop down at the table, swiping the piece of hair back with aggressive motions.

"Nothing's working. It's like…like…I'm just a sexless, delicate background piece. A vase! To not really be admired, but to just be there to say that it's there." I say before resting my face in my hands.

"You're not a vase. That's ridiculous." Addie says, patting my back reassuringly. "You just have to try a different approach."

"I've tried everything, Addie." I say, looking at her. "Every single girl in the glass absolutely hates me now because he held my hand."

"What!?" Hikaru and Kaoru exclaim at the same time. Some people look over at us before going back to their conversations. "Details."

"Well…I was talking about how cold my hands are and he was like, 'Here, mine are always warm' and then he held my hand for the rest of the lesson." I say and they all three look at each other. "It was nice…" I admit, blushing. "It's like…my hand fits perfectly in his."

"Oh, you're so cute!" Kaoru exclaims, gathering me in a hug. "In love Annie is so much better than sad Annie."

"Thanks Kaoru." I say, shaking my head. "I don't really think he thought anything of it though…I'm just a vase."

"You'll see…Kyoya doesn't think that you're a vase." Addie says and then she cracks her knuckles. "If he does, I'll just have to beat him up."

"Of course." I say with a smile. I try to look like I'm okay throughout the lunch period. I keep glancing Kyoya's way, but he seems like he doesn't care.

* * *

At the end of the day, I enter the club room, no doubt looking crestfallen. After my initial freak out, I had sort of felt confident about today. I got attention from all the people who don't matter. I make my way over to my usual spot and pop in my earbuds. I go to my classic rock playlist and play Love Bites by Def Leppard. They're a band that's easily in my top five favorite classic rock bands. I sit lean my head back, closing my eyes.

"Anya?" A voice asks as my earbud pops out of my ear. I open my eyes and see Hikaru. "Show time." He says. "Everyone? I have an announcement." He calls out, pulling me to my feet. We move over to where they have gathered. "I have been added to the list of contenders for Anya's hand in marriage."

"What…" Kyoya stands up before he falls over again. I run over to him and feel his forehead, it's on fire.

"Call the nurse!" I exclaim, touching my cold hands to his face. He stirs a little and just holds one of my hands in place. When the stretcher arrives, he won't let go.

"Please just walk with us, Miss Masson." The teacher says and I stand up and rush alongside them as we get Kyoya to the infirmary. They pull a chair up as they move him onto the bed. "We can't get him to let go." The teacher informs the school doctor as she regards me with some skepticism. She comes up and tries, but to no avail.

"Alright, if you would help me then." She says and she begins examining him. "A very high fever." She finally says. "I'll contact his family."

"Alright, I'll stay right here." I say, wiggling my fingers and she smiles a little, breaking through her tough guy act. As she walks away, he stirs a little and looks up at me, still holding my hand. "Have you known all day that you were sick." I say tersely and he nods. "You're an idiot."

"I wanted to see you." He says groggily. That brings the blush straight to my cheeks. "You look different today."

"I wanted someone to notice me." I say, looking away. He squeezes my fingers gently and I look back.

"You don't need to change how you look to get someone to notice you. You don't need this." He gestures to my lips, probably meaning the lip gloss. Then he catches the lock of hair left out of my bun. "If he doesn't notice you for how beautiful you are without trying, then he isn't worth it, he's not good enough for you."

"Kyoya..." I say, my cheeks on fire by this point. He smiles gently, eyes falling closed. "Are you awake?"

"Mhmm..." He says, and I feel bad for saying anything. "Another thing, wear a longer skirt. I don't like other men looking at my future...Will you sing to me?" He asks, opening his eyes a little. I nod and being to sing My Heart by Paramore softly. He sighs contentedly as I sing and I smile.

"You must be Anya." A woman says as I end the song. Kyoya's asleep by this point. "I'm his mother."

"It's nice to finally meet you Mrs. Ohtori." I say respectfully bowing my head. "Uh...he wouldn't let go of my hand."

"Figures." She says as she walks over and feels his forehead. "The way he talks about you, it's no wonder." She smiles at his sleeping face. "He cares for you...please don't hurt him. Kyoya and I are very close, and he tells me that you haven't decided yet."

"Just a moment." I say and then I lean down and whisper in his ear. "Kyoya, Tamaki is spending all of the club's money to buy a house for he and Haruhi to live in together." I wait a moment and he doesn't stir. "Okay...I wanted to make sure he was really asleep. But...it seems like I can trust you not to say anything when I tell you that I have decided..."

"Please tell me who." She says, her true self seeming to break through. "You have my word that I will not tell my family."

"It's him." I say looking at Kyoya's face, peaceful for once. "Against all odds...he's proved to me that it isn't a game to him."

"You're right." She says with a smile. "He really cares for you. Trust me, you're all he talks about."

"I can't imagine it." I say with a laugh. "Sometimes I can't tell if he cares or not...he's a very confusing boy."

"He is a very confused boy. I should get him home, though. It was lovely finally meeting you, Anya." She says, gently making Kyoya let go of me.

"Of course, I'm sorry for keeping you." I say and she smiles. Kyoya's security detail then comes in and takes him to their limo.

"Not at all. Will you walk with me to the car? Tachibana has him handled." She says and I nod and stand up. We begin walking. "My son is always confused because he thinks his father is being hard on him. That's not the truth. Everybody knows that Kyoya is very bright. As the third son, he doesn't have a very good chance of inheriting the patriarch position when his father passes away. A lot of the pressure, Kyoya puts on himself."

"That is so like him." I say, shaking my head. "I guess I can't understand. I only have a younger brother."

"You must miss your family very much...I can't imagine being away from my children. When Kyoya's sister got married, I didn't know what to do with myself." She says, smiling at me.

"It is a struggle, but it is necessary. I just wonder how many people Kyoya has watching me." I glance around as I speak.

"At least six." She says with a laugh. "He cares for you greatly. He is beside himself with anticipation of who you might choose. I think it is good for you to make him work for it though. The thrill is in the hunt."

"It is rather fun." I say laughing. "I won't be too hard on him." I stop as we reach their car. I see Kyoya and my eyebrows furrow.

"I trust that you can bring Kyoya the work he misses." She says, much like the way she was speaking when she first arrived.

"Of course, Mrs. Ohtori." I say, bowing respectfully. She smiles before she gets into the car and they drive away.

"Wow...so the French girl really is a slut." A girl from my class says as she walks up. "Just look at you."

"Whatever you wish to think, I can't stop you." I say, being the bigger person. "I can't waste my time being petty. I have a future to prepare."

"Doing what? Being a gold digging skank? You've got a great target though, the Ohtori family is the most prestigious." She says in her nasally voice.

"I know that he is from an important family because he is a close friend of mine. Goodbye." I say and then try to step around her. She grabs my wrist. "Let go of me." My voice is cold and commanding.

"Just because the host club keeps you as a pet, doesn't mean that you're really all that important. Know your place, whore." She says before she lets go. I keep my head held high and my shoulders squared as I walk away.

"There you are! I was worried about you." He says in his happy, genuinely pleased to see me sort of way. "Are you ready to go home?"

"Yeah..." I say, choosing to not tell him about the girl. "I met Kyoya's mother." I note and Tamaki looks at me. "She wants me to choose him...and she told me some things."

"You have decided." He says, it isn't a question. "I respect your decision if you don't want to tell me but..." He gets down on his knees in front of me. "Please tell me! I promise I won't tell!"

"Not here...and get up." I say, trying to pull him up. "I can't even speak French to hide it because he knows French. I thought that would be my edge, but it isn't."

"Who speaks French?" He asks and I look at him. "What? Why are you giving me that look?"

"Kyoya...he speaks it fluently." I say and he looks surprised. "The bastard probably learned it when he found out I was coming...he does his research well" I note, holding my chin in thought.

"In the car then! I want to know!" Tamaki shouts, pulling me by the hand the rest of the way to the car. We get in and start heading in the direction of the second Suoh mansion. "Okay...now tell me."

"Well...I'm choosing Kyoya." I say and he covers his mouth, and slowly begins to turn purple. "Tamaki?" He holds up a finger. His color slowly returns to normal.

"Because you love him, right?" He asks and I open my mouth to deny it. "It's okay, Anya. He's cared about you all along...he was just angry at his father because he told him to MAKE you fall in love with him. At first he was just acting out against his father...making you miserable of course. However, the entire time he was falling for you. When the doctor told him about your weight loss, he was completely beside himself with anger. That was when it clicked. He wasn't mad at you because he thought you were intentionally not eating, he was angry at himself because he was causing you so much distress. I'm not surprised he's sick...he hasn't been sleeping or eating because he thinks that you are angry with him."

"I am, but only because he believed the rumors about Addie and I." I sigh. "All of this is because I wanted him to pay attention to me...to want me, not like that." I say before the notion can cross his mind. "I don't want to be handed to him. So I'm not telling him I've chosen him until the end of next year, my deadline. He has to work for me."

"You two are so stubborn." Tamaki says, laughing a little. "You share qualities, but you're so different in how you express them. He is ready to fight for you now...I think."

"Well, it's going to be one hell of a fight." I say and he shakes his head. "I cannot be seen as the easy French girl."

"I'll let you in on a secret, only because you're like a sister to me." He says, winking at me. "He loves it the most when you're playing music. He told me about your secret rendezvous. I'll quote him," he clears his throat, "The way her hair spilled over her shoulder and how delicate her hands were...Tamaki you idiot, quit grinning at me like that. She's an attractive girl..." He goes out of Kyoya mode. "At which point I fondly informed him that he was in love with you. The look on his face..." He shakes his head. "I've never seen him look so happy and scared at the same time."

"Why would he be scared of me?" I ponder out loud, letting my hair down from its bun. "It doesn't make sense..."

"It's because for once, someone has power over him who isn't his father." He says and I purse my lips.

"It's probably blowing his mind because technically he doesn't want to obey his father, but he is." I say and Tamaki nods.

"Whatever is going on in that head of his, the best thing you can do is just be yourself." He says and I smile.

"I will…" He returns my smile and that closes our conversation. We arrive at home and I immediately head for the shower. Tamaki has learned that it's best not to question it. I smile to myself as I carefully remove my uniform and fold it neatly. I turn on the water as hot as I can stand it and jump in. As the water runs through my hair, I start my thinking. Will Kyoya remember anything from today? Part of me hopes that he doesn't, I feel a little foolish after what he said in the infirmary. The way he looked at me was so…endearing, like I was the most important person in the world. Then he asked me to sing to him…that made me feel pretty good. I wonder how much his mother heard…that's sort of embarrassing. I shake my head and put it under the water. I know now…Kyoya really does care for me. The question isn't how long can I make Kyoya crazy for before I tell him. The real question is can I wait?


	4. My Sweet

_Hello everyone! I know that I said I wouldn't be posting this until Wednesday, but I got a lot of work done early and so I was able to post! I want to take the time and say thank you to the people who have reviewed this story so far. I hope that it is turning out to be everything that you hoped for! (Meaning I really hope that you guys are liking this and I'm not just being paranoid). Anyway, this chapter is kind of all over the place. Some drama...some goofball action...and more! I'll stop rambling and let you read. Enjoy! 3_

I simply ignore them as I walk through the hall…the girls whispering about me. They're questioning my virtue, which of course is intact. I've never liked anyone…I suppose I've made a mistake in falling for one of "their men". I make my way to the classroom alone and sit in my seat, Kyoya's chair still empty. It's been three days…I should probably take his homework today.

"Slut." A girl says, coughing to mask it. Nobody notices it except for me of course and a few of her friends. They all giggle, hiding delicate mouths behind delicate hands. I keep my head held high and my shoulders squared. I look over and smile at Addie who looks concerned. I know I've been acting weird towards her…not talking as much. I know that if I tell anyone about what's been going on, they'll just freak out and try to protect me like I'm some delicate thing to be guarded. As the teacher calls the class to attention, I turn back and face forward. I take notes meticulously, careful not to let my hand drag across the paper. The folly of being left-handed…Kyoya knows the struggle.

"Miss Masson?" The teacher asks and I look up, ignoring snickers. "Will you come up to the board and solve this equation?"

"Yes ma'am." I say as I stand up. My heels click against the floor, filling me with confidence…until a girl sticks her foot out and I trip. I hit the ground hard, but I get up and keep walking like it doesn't affect me. I pick up the chalk and look at the board for a moment. I start solving, working through it easily enough. When I finish I take a step back and check my work.

"Very good, please try to pay a little more attention, and be more careful." She says, smiling at me a little tersely. I bow before I go back to my seat. I can't daydream now. The lesson goes by quickly and I smile to myself when I realize that I successfully kept my mind on the task at hand. The day is over now, thank goodness. Addie walks over to my seat and I look at her.

"What's going on?" She asks, and I look around the classroom. The worst of the girls are gone.

"Nothing, why?" I say brightly, collecting my things and putting them in my bag. I make sure I have all of Kyoya's work.

"You've been…different." She regards me skeptically as I just smile at her. "You will tell me if something is bothering you….right?"

"Of course…I'm just worried is all." I say shyly and she smiles. "Can you let the guys know that I won't be there today? Mrs. Ohtori asked me to bring Kyoya's homework to him."

"Sure, give the evil king my best wishes." She says and we exit the classroom together. She goes off to the club room and I head towards the front drive. I climb into the car that I had called and head home first. I rush upstairs and change into the clothes that I had laid out. I step into my favorite shoes and smile at my reflection. I sit down at my vanity and let down my hair. I pull most of it to the right side, but leave some on the left. It has a similar effect to the bun. I put on a tasteful amount of makeup and dab some perfume onto my pulse points before I deem myself ready. I transfer Kyoya's school work into my black purse-like backpack and head downstairs. The car is waiting for me, so I just get back in and ride in silence to the Ohtori's home. Into the belly of the beast…the home of the man who wants to secure my future for me…and the boy who is reluctant to let him. I ring the bell and a butler answers.

"Mrs. Ohtori is expecting me. I am Anya Masson." I say and recognition flickers briefly in his eyes.

"Of course, Miss. Please, allow me to direct you to the sitting room and I will inform Mrs. Ohtori that you are here." He says, bowing deeply. I follow him to the sitting room and take a seat on the couch. "Just a moment, Miss."

"Of course." I say, folding my hands in my lap nervously. He exits, leaving me to my thoughts. It is a very modern room…all blacks, whites, and grays. It is very clinical.

"Anya." Mrs. Ohtori says as she walks in, dressed in a red dress that sets off her delicate features. "It's lovely to see you again. Please follow me." She says and I stand and follow her out of the room. We walk up a staircase. "Is school going well?"

"Yes ma'am." I say respectfully, just as my mother taught me. "At my school in France, we were around the same area that we are in now in my math lesson at least."

"That is very good to hear. Ah, here we are. Kyoya's room. Please stop by the sitting room again when you're done, I'd like to talk with you some more." She says and then she leaves me.

"Okay…" I say softly. I bring my hand up to the door knob and twist it gently. I don't know what I was expecting because the door comes open with ease. The room, much like the rest of the house, is very modern. It is set up like a loft, a living area downstairs and his actually bedroom must be up those stairs. I set Kyoya's homework on the desk against the far wall and then I carefully navigate the stairs, trying to be quiet. I see a form under the covers and I hear the soft breathing of someone who is asleep. I sit down in the chair next to his bed. He stirs and turns over, facing me. Scary gray eyes open and then soften as they see me.

"What are you doing out of bed, my sweet? You should get more sleep…" He says and I can tell he isn't really awake. His eyes close again. "You should let me handle Ichio."

"You're one to talk." I say gently and he smiles and chuckles a little. "And who?" I ask, almost feeling bad…..almost.

"Our son…" He says, his eyebrow furrowing. "You need to come to bed if you're going to forget your own children."

"Multiple?" I ask and he grunts. I cover my mouth to keep from laughing. I reach over and gently lay my hand on his cheek. It's warm.

"Anya?" He starts awake, sitting up. The blanket falls off to reveal his bare chest. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought you homework. Then you started to talk to me, so I sat down." I say, thankful for the dim lighting so he doesn't see how badly I'm blushing.

"What was I saying?" He asks, a little more relaxed. He slumps down the pillows and I can tell that I don't have long.

"It doesn't matter…you should get some more rest." I say, standing. He takes my hand, fighting to keep his eyes open.

"Wait…I have something to give you." He says as he slowly sits up again, he keeps ahold of my hand as he opens the drawer of his nightstand and pulls out a jewelry box. He gives it to me. "Will you sing to me again?"

"You're needy." I say as he lays back down. "But okay…" I think for a moment and then I begin singing a slower and more soothing version Brighter by Paramore. By the time I'm done singing, he's taking the slow and comforting breaths of a sleeping person. I smile as I stand up and gently take back my hand. I pull his covers back up over him and lean down and kiss him on the cheek. "Feel better…I really need you at school." I whisper before I head down the stairs and out of his room. I go out into the hall and lean against the wall as I open the jewelry box. Laying in the delicate silk is a silver locket. I open it and see two pictures, one of my family in France and the other a picture of me with Addie and the rest of the host club. My two families…I smile and blink back tears. I put the locket on and put the box in my backpack before I go back to the sitting room. Mrs. Ohtori is reading a book. She looks up as I enter and smiles.

"How was he?" She asks, inviting me to sit next to her on the couch. "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please." I say, accepting the cup. "And he was fine…drowsy of course." She nods and smiles at me.

"I'm afraid the medicine he is on makes him a bit sleepy. The good news is that he should be back in school on Wednesday." She says and my heart gives a happy lurch.

"That's good to hear…Tamaki is falling apart without him." I say and we laugh together. "Have you told him?"

"No…I gave you my word, Anya." She says and I smile. "I understand that it's probably very stressful for you."

"Yes…and I'm sort of having second thoughts about making him wait…but it is good for him. He would be bored if I made it easy." I say and she laughs.

"Your understanding of my son amazes me." She says after taking a drink of her tea. "You are correct. Don't go easy on him."

"I promise I won't." I say, smiling. "I should probably get home, Tamaki worries when I go out by myself, though this is probably one of the safest places for me."

"Yes…it is." She says, standing. I stand with her. "Kyoya has upped your security, he insisted that since Tachibana was here with him that you needed more. So please don't worry too much about it. Just try to live as normally as you can…I think you'll be happier that way."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ohtori." I say, bowing. "It was nice talking to you." She smiles at me, looking over me.

"I meant to ask you…but what happened to your knees?" She asks, the concern of a mother coming out.

"Oh…I tripped and hit the ground pretty hard…that's all." I lie smoothly and she seems to buy into it.

"Do be more careful…" She says and then she turns to the butler as he enters the room. "Please make sure that Miss Masson makes it to her car alright."

"Of course, ma'am." He says, bowing before he shows me out and helps me into the car. As the driver starts heading back home, I take a look at my knees. The bruises are a lot worse than I'd expected. I really need to do something about those girls…but I can't let anyone else know about it. I'm not a priceless vase in need of protecting. I take out my cell phone and call Takashi.

"Annie? Is everything alright?" He asks as soon as he answers and I chuckle a little bit. He's always so worried about me.

"Yes…everything is fine. I was just wondering…do you think you could teach me how to defend myself?" I ask and he makes a contemplative noise. "I'm not in any trouble…I just think that it would be a good idea to know a little bit. Better to have it and not need it then to not have it and absolutely need it."

"I will…would you be willing to start tonight?" He asks and I let out a sigh of relief. "Anya?"

"Yes. That sounds perfect. Whatever you say, sensei." I say only a little sarcastically and he laughs.

"I can come pick you up later. How was he?" He asks and my face freezes. Does he know that I'm in love with Kyoya? It's Takashi, of course he does.

"What!? Oh yeah…he's better I think. His fever broke…I mean from what I could tell." I say and he hums. "Well, I'm almost home now. I'll see you later, Takashi."

"Okay." He says and I hang up. The driver pulls into the driveway and I hop out of the car and head inside. I try to sneak past Tamaki, but he notices me.

"Anya! You look awful pretty." He says as he runs over to catch me before I can make my escape upstairs.

"Oh…this old thing?" I ask, gesturing down at myself. "Really it's nothing. I'd better go change, Takashi is coming to pick me up to teach me self-defense." I say and he gapes at me like a fish.

"That's very un-ladylike!" He exclaims and I give him a look. "What I mean is…Kyoya has you covered…"

"I know that…but what if they can't get to me? What if I need to defend myself? I'd rather be able to do it and not need to rather than need to defend myself and not be able to." I say, putting my hands on my hips. "I have to be able to rely on myself."

"Okay, you win." He says with a smile. "What on Earth did you do to your knees?" He asks, concern furrowing his brow.

"When I tripped in class earlier I landed pretty hard." I say sheepishly. "I really need to change now." I say and he nods.

"Alright, I won't keep you." He says and I dash up the stairs. I quickly pull on some yoga pants and a tee shirt. I sit down and pull on some neon green socks before I put on my tennis shoes and tie them.

"Miss Anya?" Hana asks as she enters the room. "Mr. Morinozuka has arrived. Shall I tell him you'll be down in a moment?"

"Please." I say as I stand up. She bows before she leaves. I go over to my vanity and pull my hair into a bun. I throw my backpack over my shoulder and head downstairs. Takashi and Tamaki stand upon seeing me enter the room. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah…see you later, Tamaki." Takashi says as he comes to stand with me. "I'm glad to see you dressed appropriately."

"I try. See ya Tama." I say with a wave over my shoulder. Takashi and I climb into the back of his family's car and start driving towards his family's estate. "So…how are things with Addie?"

"What do you mean?" He asks, unsuccessfully hiding his feelings from me. I raise my eyebrow at him.

"You like her, Takashi. I may not have known you long, but I can read you like a book." I say and he sighs.

"Yes, but she doesn't feel the same for me." He says and I run my hand down my face. He regards me with a blank expression.

"You two are the densest people I have EVER met…aside from Haruhi and Tamaki, but that's a whole other book." I say, glancing out the window. We're almost to his family's estate. "Takashi, you know that I would never lie to you."

"I know…I don't think that you are lying to me…I believe that you think she has feelings for me, but I am telling you that she doesn't." He says and I roll my eyes.

"Whatever you want to think." I say, sitting back and crossing my arms. "So…do you really think that you can teach me?"

"Yes…of course." He says and then he looks at me. "You've decided, haven't you." It isn't a question.

"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't." I say stubbornly. He stares at me blankly for several moments before I sigh.

"Fine." I say, turning to face him. "Yes I have. I'm just not telling Kyoya that it's him until next year. So please don't say anything to anyone. God…now I only need to tell Hunny-senpai and Haruhi then the entire club knows."

"And everyone has agreed to help you torture him." He says, amusement clear on his tone and I grin. "Just so you know…I will still protect you, Annie."

"I know Takashi…you're like the big brother I always wanted." I say with a smile. He smiles in return and pats me on the head. We arrive at the Morinozuka mansion and thus begins the torture of learning self-defense.

* * *

"This vacation is exactly what I needed." I say as I lay my head back, absorbing as much of the sun as I can. "This air…it's so fresh and so…exhilarating."

"Tell me about it." Addie says, putting some stuff on her skin that will help her tan. "The lads really hooked us up on these suits, didn't they?"

"Oh most definitely." I say with a nod. "Haruhi's is even cute and tasteful." I sit up briefly and take a drink of my lemonade.

"Kyoya hasn't been able to keep his eyes off of you for very long." She says and I blush. "Oh, he's looking again."

"Shut up." I say, shooting her a look. "I'm going to get something to drink, do you need anything?"

"No, I'm good." She says and I smile as I stand up. I walk over to the cabana and get into the line.

"Well damn…" A guy, who looks to be maybe a little older than me says as he open checks me out. "You simply must let me buy you a drink."

"No thank you." I say firmly, the picture of disinterest. He keeps checking me out, and it makes my stomach turn with disgust.

"Come on, baby…let me buy you a drink and then we can get to know each other." He says and I look around. Kyoya is the closest to me. He glances up and I shoot him a look. He is on his feet and striding over.

"Babe, is this guy bothering you?" He says as he slides an arm around my waist. My skin catches fire where his skin meets mine. He is bristling with anger.

"No. He was just being a perfect gentleman." I say, giving the guy an out…I know how scary Kyoya can be. He looks at me dubiously. "Isn't that right?"

"Yeah…" He says as he turns around. He orders whatever he had to drink and then leaves.

"Can I get a strawberry lemonade, please?" I ask the cabana boy and he rings me up. Before I can hand over my card, Kyoya's hand darts out. We move out of the way and wait for my drink to be ready. "Thanks for coming to my rescue."

"The twins seem to have gone overboard in dressing you today." He says, glaring around the beach. "That swimsuit almost looks too good on you."

"What are you implying?" I ask, chuckling a little bit. "I've been called a whore before, Kyoya, I can handle it."

"Who called you that?" He asks, looking at me very seriously. I grab my lemonade and begin walking.

"It's no big deal." I say and he grabs my wrist. "Kyoya…everything is fine." I look up at him. He pulls me over to where he had been sitting at a table and I sit down. "This is no way to get a nice tan."

"You can tan after we have spoken for a moment. Who called you that name?" He asks and I look at him and sigh.

"Kyoya…leave it. I am a big girl, I can handle myself." I say and he looks absolutely furious.

"Where did those bruises come from?" He asks and I feel the smirk on my face before I can even stop myself.

"The one on my wrist from where you grabbed me just now or the ones on my legs from where I fell because I am a total klutz?" I ask and he gapes at me.

"I didn't realize that I had…I'm sorry." He says, and I shake my head. "And you are not clumsy. It was either a rare moment of you being off balance or someone tripped you."

"Leave it, Kyoya." I say, not wanting to talk about it. "What matters now is that it isn't anything to worry about."

"Come to think of it…you keep getting bruises on your legs." He says and I fold my arms across my chest.

"I am learning self-defense. I am bound to get a little dinged up. Sorry I'm not the perfect princess you're trying to woo." I say sullenly.

"Anya, if someone is harassing you…I would like to know. I can help you." He says sincerely and for a moment, I want to tell him.

"No one is harassing me." I say, looking him straight in the eye. "Now, I am going to lay out. I am way too white."

"Do you have enough sunscreen?" He asks as I stand and I give a thumbs up over my shoulder. I make it back to my chair and lay down, this time on my stomach.

"Oh my God…." Addie says and I don't look at her. "Annie…Annie…Annie…" She says and I look over.

"What?" I ask and then I feel something cold on my back and scream. I jump away, almost falling out of chair. He keeps me from rolling off by a hand on my waist.

"It's fine." Kyoya says, sounding irritated. He massages the sunscreen into my back. I stare at Addie with wide eyes and she looks astounded as well. "I trust that you can get the backs of your legs. And you should put some on your face and shoulders, they were looking a little pink. I'll leave this here." He says, reaching over me and setting the sunscreen on the table in between the two chairs. He then stands up and walks away.

"Jesus fucking Christ." Addie whispers to me and I sit up. "You're actually going to do it?"

"Yeah…I don't want to burn. I say, flicking my hair back. I grab the bottle and squirt some onto my hands. I rub it on my face, shoulders, and chest. After a moment, I decide to put more on my stomach and legs.

"So, after your near heart attack, how do you feel?" She asks and I blush. Oh my god, I didn't know what he was doing! What happened at the cabana?"

"Well…this guy was being a creep and it took one look from me and Kyoya came over and started acting like my boyfriend or something." I say, and my face stays hot. "Oh my god…he was so angry. And he called me babe."

"God…what you do to the man. It's kind of sad to watch." She says, glancing over for a moment. "And he's still looking at you. You're on fire!"

"No, I'm pretty sure that's just embarrassment." I say, setting the tube down on the table. I take a drink of my lemonade before I lay back down on my stomach.

"Addie-chan! Annie-chan! Come swim in the ocean with us!" Honey-senpai shouts from a distance.

"Well we can't say no to that." I say with a grin, hopping up. I pull Addie with me and we run to the water. Hikaru and Kaoru join us and we all play together, splashing and running.

"Boys! Don't you dare!" I scream as the twins come at me and pick me up. They dunk me under the water and I come up laughing, but chase them for revenge.

* * *

"Anya, are you ready to come to dinner?" Kyoya asks from the living room in Addie and I's suite.

"Just a second…" I say as I try again to reach the zipper on my dress. I sigh in frustration…I do NOT want to ask Kyoya for help. I turn in a complete circle as I try to reach it and almost fall.

"Anya?" He's standing in the doorway. I jump and run into the vanity. "I'm sorry…do you need help?"

"Yeah." I sigh and turn around as he walks over. His touch is soft as he gently zips my dress up the rest of the way. "Thank you." I say, reaching for my statement necklace. I bring it around my neck and he gently grabs it and does the clasp for me. "And again…thank you." I say before I pull the pin out of my hair and it falls around my shoulders in its natural crazy curls. "Did Addie already go to meet everyone else?"

"Yes, she sent me up to check on you." He says and I slump my shoulders. She did that entirely on purpose. "Are you ready?"

"I just need to put my shoes on." I say as I sit down on the chair and put on the heels I had chosen to match my necklace. I stand up and turn to the side, looking at myself.

"You look…nice." He says and I turn and raise an eyebrow at him. I know that he can do better than that.

"There is a line, and I'm trying not to cross it. Are you ready?" He asks, turning and walking out of the room. I smile a little and shake my head as I follow him out. I make sure I have my room key in my purse before we head out of the room and down the hall. I feel sort of awkward when we are in the elevator. What line is he trying not to cross?

"Kyoya…something's bugging me." I say as I look up at him. He gazes back at me, his face neutral…but not the scary neutral he normally has around people. "What line?"

"Well…I don't want to sway your decision in any way." He says and I smirk. "What is that all about?"

"You're so full of yourself." I say, chuckling. He frowns at me and I stop. "Kyoya…if you want to tell me I look beautiful, that won't sway my opinion. It's nice to hear that from time to time."

"Alright…well in that case. Anya…you look absolutely stunning tonight." He says and that is when the elevator doors open to the first floor. We walk back, and I know that I have a healthy glow on my cheeks.

"Look at you!" Hikaru says as he makes me spin for him. "And we didn't even dress you tonight."

"An impeccable sense of style. You guys are lucky men." Kaoru says, looking between Takashi and Kyoya. "If you don't marry her, one of us will."

"Mhmm, a girl with this kind of style needs to be a Hitachiin." Hikaru says and I blanch at what they are doing…they're selling me. I bat their hands away from me.

"Let's just go to dinner. I don't look THAT good." I say, pulling Addie with me into the restaurant. I walk up to the host. "Uh…let's see. I think the reservation is under Ohtori?"

"Oh of course! Right this way please, Mrs. Ohtori." He says as he grabs the menus and leads us off to a separate room from the rest of the restaurant. The twins help Addie and I into our seats. I see Kyoya speaking with the host who appears to be profusely apologizing.

"Enjoy your dinner…Mrs. Ohtori." Addie says and I smack her arm. "Ouch!" She rubs her arm and Takashi gives me a look across the table.

"The host sends his apologies, Anya." Kyoya says as he takes his seat on my left side. "I assure you, the mistake won't be made again." Part of me is very disappointed by how cold and calculating he is…but the other part of me must realize…this is also a part of Kyoya. He is only warm towards me. For some reason or another…I am lucky enough for him to care for me too. His cold tone isn't what is disappointing though…it's how he called what happened a mistake. I mean, of course I am not Mrs. Ohtori…but I will be. He doesn't know that though. I am quiet through dinner, and frankly a little distracted. Takashi looks worried….that is when he isn't exchanging flirtatious glances with Addie. He must be tired.

* * *

It is well past midnight…I should be sleeping. I can't though, for some reason. I walk out onto the balcony that I share with the room next to me. I know that at least one of the hosts is staying there, so I'm not afraid. I lean against the rail, looking out at the water and then look at my phone. I should definitely be asleep. The air is cool. Maybe I shouldn't have come out here in just my shorts and tank top. Suddenly, a jacket is draped around my shoulders. I jump, looking to my right.

"You'll catch a cold if you don't take better care of yourself." Kyoya says, leaning against the rail.

"So will you, night owl." I say, teasing him lightly. "You don't get enough sleep from what I hear."

"That's no news, what are you doing up at this hour? Don't women believe in getting all the beauty sleep they can?" He asks and I shrug.

"It doesn't help any. I usually am asleep by midnight at least…but I just can't help but think of my family." I say, my fingers going to the locket around my neck.

"That locket…where did you get it?" He asks, sounding almost confused. I stand up straight and look at him.

"You…don't remember?" I ask and he looks at me, searching for the answer in my face apparently. "When you were sick…I brought your homework to you."

"I remember that, but where did you get this locket? Was it sitting out or something…did you just take it?" He asks and I draw back, offended at his assumption.

"No. You gave it to me." I say, taking his jacket off and handing it to him. I turn to walk away and he grabs my wrist.

"Wait…Anya. I'm sorry." He says, sounding a little panicked. "I barely remember you being there at all…Really all I remember is you singing to me, or did that not happen?"

"It did." I say, thankful for the cover of darkness. "And you really need to stop grabbing my wrist…it doesn't take much to bruise me." I say and he lets go immediately.

"I'm sorry." He says again with a sigh. "That seems to be all I'm capable of doing. Hurting you."

"Oh don't be dramatic." I say with a roll of my eyes. "My life is enough of some stupid soap opera. You don't mean to and I know it. It's just you…generally when we're alone you're pretty good at the whole being nice thing. When we're with everyone else, you think that you have to keep up the façade that you're only friends with them because it benefits you."

"Perceptive, aren't you." He says dryly and I laugh. This causes him to smile. "I am sorry that I hurt you though."

"Don't worry about it. Outwardly, you're cold and calloused." I say and he blanches, that makes me laugh again. "On the inside, though, you're so warm. I think that if you showed that all the time people wouldn't know what to do."

"I was thinking…I talk in my sleep from time to time…did I when you came to bring my homework?" He asks and I flush a little. "I did. What did I say?" He asks and I sigh.

"You…told me to come to bed…that you would handle our son." I say, not looking him directly in the eyes. "Uh…apparently dream Kyoya has a wife and children and…"

"Multiple?" He asks and I laugh. "I'm sorry if that scared you." He says and I look at him dubiously.

"Seriously? That would scare me away from you? Kyoya, we may end up married someday. I can't be afraid of the idea of having children with you." I say and it's his turn to be surprised. "I am very resigned to my fate."

"Thanks for putting it that way." He says and I laugh. That's when my cell phone rings. I look at the number before I answer.

"Hello?" I ask, my heart races. I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe it's the heat of the moment.

"Annie?" My brother, Francois, asks into the receiver and my knees buckle. "Annie, are you there?"

"Yes, Francois, I'm here." I say, trying to keep my voice steady. Kyoya is all that is holding me up. "What's wrong, baby?"

"Maman said that she was able to give me five minutes to talk to you." He says, sounding scared. "I miss you, Annie."

"I miss you too. But listen Francois, your big sister is here taking care of things. We'll see each other again someday soon." I say, shaking all over. "I'm going to protect you, I promise."

"I know…it's just hard being away from you." He says and my heart breaks all over again. "Maman wants to talk to you."

"Okay, I love you so much Francois. Please don't worry about anything." I say and he hands over the phone. "Maman." I sob.

"I know, baby." She says, sounding like she's ready to cry too. "You're being so strong and I am so proud of you. I need you to keep being strong for me…we may have to send Francois over soon. Darling…I need to know…have you chosen?"

"Yes Maman." I say and I hear her let out a little sob. "I can't say who right now…but know that he is wonderful and he will make me happy. It isn't at all because I have to."

"Okay baby." She says and then I hear a voice in the background. "I have to go now. Maman loves you very much…please stay safe."

"I will. I love you." I say and the line disconnects. I completely fall apart then, crying into Kyoya's chest. When I settle down, he lifts me into his arms and carries me bridal style into my room. He lays me down on my bed and goes to leave. I grab his hand. "Please don't…I don't want to be alone anymore." I say, my voice weak.

"You won't be alone…ever." He says, pulling up a chair. I hold onto his hand until sleep claims me. I sleep like the dead.


	5. Multiple Personality Disorder

_Hello my lovely readers! I love and hate this chapter. It was sort of difficult to write because there was a point where I didn't know where to go with it, so if it kind of drops off, that's why. This chapter's a little longer than the others, but only because I got a really good idea that I wanted to include now. This chapter is full of ups and downs, so be ready! Anyway, I'll let you go. Please let me know what you think! 3_

I awaken to the sound of giggles. My face scrunches up and it goes silent. I crack open an eye and see Kyoya asleep, his head resting on one of his arms while he holds my hand. I sit up slowly so as to not wake him and look over at the door. I see Addie and the twins. I narrow my eyes at them and shoo them away. I somehow manage to move across the bed without waking him and go out to the living room, closing the door behind me quietly.

"What the heck were you guys doing in my room?" I ask sternly and the twins look a little ashamed, Addie is just smirking at me.

"We should ask Kyoya the same thing." She says and I immediately turn pink. "Ah, just as I thought."

"It isn't like that...I..." I take a deep breath, willing the tears away from my eyes. The boys direct me to the couch and make me sit down. "I got a call from my little brother and my mom last night. I...was on the balcony talking to Kyoya when they called and so...well he carried me to bed and I guess I asked him to stay."

"Oh honey..." Addie says, sitting down next to me. She puts an arm around my shoulders. The tears stream down my face, but it isn't nearly as bad as last night.

"How was he?" Hikaru asks, unsure of what to say. I smile up at him. At least he is trying...not many people would.

"He was good...he wasn't crying which makes me so proud." I say, smiling a little. "He said that he misses me. They might send him over soon."

"That's good...and bad." Addie says, rubbing my arm. "At least you'll get to see your brother."

"I think I want to get some more sleep. I'm pretty tired." I say and they all take turns hugging me. I go back into my room and find Kyoya to still be asleep. I climb back into my spot, take his hand again and close my eyes. I slow my breathing to match his...hoping that will trick my body into going back to sleep. What feels like an eternity later, he stirs. I don't move...only because my eyes are too heavy to open.

"I promise you won't be alone..." He says quietly as he pushes my hair back off of my forehead. "I promise...you'll be with your family soon." He lays a gentle kiss there before he stands and leaves.

* * *

"Annie, it's time to wake up. It's nearly one." Addie says as she pulls my covers off of me. "Come on...lets go into town to that ice cream place."

"Alright, alright." I say, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. "Keep your shorts on." I get out of bed and go to the closet where all of my things are hung up. I grab a shirt a shirt and some shorts and change in there. I go over to the vanity and braid my hair before I slip on a pair on gladiator sandals. "Will this do?"

"Of course, let's go." She says, linking her arm through mine. I shove my phone into my pocket and we are off. The driver that Kyoya has on standby opens the door for us and we climb in. "Just drive us into town, please." She says and the man smiles kindly before doing as he's asked.

"Should we have told someone that we were going?" I say and she shrugs. "Eh they would have wanted to tag along."

"Very true. Let's have a nice little girl time...oh I feel bad that we didn't invite Haruhi." She says, looking troubled.

"Don't you remember her death threat? She's doing homework all day." I remind her and we laugh. "Studious little thing..."

"You can say that again." Addie says and he driver stops. We open the door. "Thank you, here's a little something." She says as she gives him a tip.

"Any time Miss Adelaide, Miss Anya." He says, tipping his hat. We get out of the car and walk towards the ice cream shop.

"This place is the best." Addie says as we walk up to the window. "I'll have a vanilla chocolate swirl and then whatever my friend is having." I shoot her a look but step up.

"Uh, that blue kind looks interesting. I'll have that please." I say with a smile. Addie pays the man and we take our ice cream. We begin walking. "So...you and Takashi have been spending a lot of time together." I say and she flushes.

"Yeah...I think you're right about him liking me...maybe." She says and I roll my eyes. "Oh like you know everything."

"I do." I say with a grin. "I am the all-knowing oracle of the group." It's her turn to roll her eyes at me. "The day is so nice...let's walk back."

"That's a great idea." She says and so we start walking down the tree lined road back towards the hotel. About half way back we hear a car on the road, so we move over farther to the side. The car stops right next to us. We keep walking, quickening our pace.

"Excuse me, do either of you know how to get to...oh gosh, what's it's name...there's a really nice hotel in this area." A man asks and I turn around. It's the guy from yesterday. He looks malicious as a couple of men jump out of the van.

* * *

I wake up and we are in a dark room. I feel Addie next to me. I move over and feel the back of her head…they hit her pretty hard. I feel something wet on the side of her head. I rip off a piece of my tee shirt and press it to the wound.

"Oh god...Addie." I say, gently shaking her. She stirs...which is good I think. I gently pull her head into my lap so it isn't on the hard concrete ground. "It's okay...I'll keep you safe. I'll do whatever to get you help." I promise, smoothing her hair off of her forehead. The sound of a lock being turned draws my attention to a single door.

"So it looks like the princess is finally awake." The man jeers and I keep my face blank. Do not show your fear Anya Marie-Sofie Masson.

"My friend is bleeding pretty badly. Will you please get someone who can help her?" I ask very calmly.

"Oh yeah, we'll help her. You come with me though." He says and I gently slide Addie's head off of my lap and stand up. Another man, who looks more kind, enters with a first aid kit. I go over to the man and he forcefully grabs my left arm right about the elbow and jerks me out of the room. He leads me down the hall, not caring if he hurts me any more than he already has. We arrive at a room and he throws me into a straight backed chair. "Put your hands behind your back." He commands and I do so, if I obey they will care for Addie. My hands are bound with an itchy rope that bites into my wrists painfully. "Now, what is your name?"

"Anya." I say apathetically. "And what may I call you?" I ask to be polite...maybe if I'm nice, he'll be nice back.

"You can just call me sir." He says, and I nod. This seems to make him angry. He raises his hand to slap me. I close my eyes. "You're not scared, are you?"

"I know that you really don't want to hurt me." I say calmly and he actually slaps me now. My face stings from the impact.

"I don't care if you get hurt or not. What I care is getting the Ohtori's money." He says and I look up at him. "Ah look, tears. Good. Anyway, my boys said that you're buddy buddy with one of their sons. So we'll see how things go. Let's hope he cares enough to save you."

"Okay." I say compliantly. "I don't care what happens to me...just please take care of my friend."

"We'll take good care of her, so long as you're a good girl." He says, taking my chin in his hand. I try to keep the repulsed look off of my face. He slaps me again, this time hard enough to make my head spin. "How do you know the boy?"

"He is a friend from school." I answer, being a minimalist. He looks at me, quietly telling me to go on. "That's all...he is in the same class as me."

"Does his dad know about you?" He asks and I nod. "Good...do you think he'll put up the money to get you out."

"It is in his best interest to do so, isn't it?" I ask snidely and I get slapped again. I feel something trickle down my lip.

"I don't like pretty faces that have smart mouths. Either you start having some respect or I'll make your face match your ugly mouth." He says, looking down on me like he's so proud of himself. I look down...Kyoya please send someone. "I'll leave you here to think about your situation and then you can decide if you want to be more helpful." Once he leaves, I let out a sigh. I don't cry, no my tears are behind a careful barrier. If I cry now, I won't stop.

* * *

I must have fallen asleep...it looks darker. I hear loud noises down the hall...maybe this is what woke me. I look towards the door and shift, trying to get at least a little comfortable. I hope Addie is okay...I was compliant, so they hopefully are taking at least decent care of her. Suddenly, the door is kicked him. I jump as men in black gear swarm inside.

"We have secured the Dove." A man says as he walks over and undoes the ropes around my wrists. "Miss, please come with us."

"There is another girl." I say, panic flaking my tone as I stand up. "Did you find her? She has a concussion."

"She has already been taken outside, she is in good condition. Please come with us." He insists forcefully, so I follow him. The rest of the men flank us. We reach the exit and once the door is opened, I see my friends...all of them except Kyoya. Addie is sitting on in the back of an ambulance being treated. Tamaki is the first to envelop me in a hug. "Mr. Suoh, she needs to be treated. Her wrists are irritated from her bindings."

"Of course." He says and then he is the one who leads me to the second ambulance. Dr. Honda approaches me.

"Hello Miss. Masson, some day that you've had." She says as she begins examining me. She shines a light in my eyes. "Did you hit your head as well?"

"No, but he slapped me a few times." I say and that's when I hear the sound of someone being punched.

"Oh dear...I had feared that would happen." She says passively. "You don't seem to have a concussion. There is some bruising on your face and your wrists were rubbed raw by the rope. I'm going to bandage your wrists, but before you go to sleep I want you to take the bandages off, alright?" She asks and I nod. "Good girl. In the morning, have someone help you bandage them again." She says as she goes about cleaning my wrists and bandaging them.

"Dr. Honda...why are you here?" I ask and she smiles. "I mean...obviously you're a doctor...but why you specifically?"

"I am your attending physician. I see other patients, but I am paid to be at your side on a moment's notice. You are a very important person to the Ohtori family." She says and I nod.

"I thought it would be something like that." I say and she smiles as she finishes the bandages. "Thank you."

"No problem...now I would go and see Mr. Ohtori, he is quite worried." She suggests and I hop down from the ambulance. "Take care, Anya."

"Yeah." I say before I walk away in search of Kyoya. I see him leaning against a black car, talking into a cellphone. I slowly walk over, giving him time. By the time I reach him, he is hanging up. "Hey..."

"Why on Earth would you leave without telling anyone?" He asks icily. I look up at him with wide eyes. "Look at you..." He's emotional, so he's probably not stable. His hand hesitantly goes to my cheek. "And your wrists..."

"That will all go away." I say and his look of anguish turns to anger. "Kyoya..." I say gently, but it doesn't soothe him.

"These men were unrelated to your situation." He says, ignoring my attempts at soothing him. "You didn't answer my question. Why did you leave without letting me know?"

"Firstly, you need to calm down and stop talking to me like I am beneath you." I say, my voice firm and strong. "Second of all, do you even care how I am feeling right now?" My voice cracks a little. "I am covered in my best friend's blood after being slapped around by some crazy person." The tears threaten to fall, but I push them back. "I am sorry that I didn't let someone know, okay? It won't happen again."

"You're right." He says simply, his voice cold and calculating. I roll my eyes and turn to walk away. "Don't you walk away from me, we are talking." He grabs my arm and I grab his in return and flip him over my shoulder like Takashi had shown me.

"Do not touch me without my permission." I say before I walk over to where Addie is. "Hey….how are you feeling?"

"Sore, and you?" She asks, glancing around me. I don't dare look back…Kyoya is probably royally pissed off at me.

"I'm okay….how mad does he look?" I ask and she looks again, trying to gauge his response.

"Surprisingly…not angry at all, I think they were all pretty worried about us." She says and I nod. "So what happened…?"

"He just started being really mean and so I rolled my eyes and tried to walk away. He grabbed me and I didn't like it…so I flipped him. I didn't think it'd actually work, I've never been able to do that."

"I don't think he thought so either." She says and blushes as she turns her gaze away. Takashi probably looked at her. "Kyoya's coming this way." She says and then he is right on us.

"Anya." He says and I look up at him, my expression devoid of emotion. "Alright, if that is how you wish to act. In the morning we will be returning home and you will be moving into the Ohtori mansion for the time being."

"If it's how I wish to act?" I ask, a deadly calm taking over my demeanor. "You know what…fine. I'll be your fucking vase." I say and then I walk away. I climb into the car waiting to take us back to the hotel and let the tears spill freely. Addie and the twins climb in with me and Hikaru pulls me into his arms. "Why is he being so mean to me?"

"Because you scared him." Hikaru says simply and I shake my head. "I know it wasn't your fault…but he isn't thinking straight. Just give him some time to think. In the meantime, Kaoru and I will stay with you girls."

"Yeah…we won't let you out of our sight." Kaoru says and Addie and I smile tersely. As far as I know…she was unconscious for most of it.

We arrive back at the hotel and we immediately go to our room. I sit on my bed, staring at my bandaged wrists. I know that I should have told someone…especially in the situation I am in, but I was with Addie. I guess that doesn't matter. I thought that he had several men protecting me…shouldn't that have made a difference? I shake my head and go to the bathroom connected to my room. I need to think. I take off the bandages by cutting them. There isn't any blood on them, which is probably a good thing. I turn on the shower as hot as I can stand and I get in. The water stings my wrists, so I try to keep them out of it as much as I can. I let the water run through my hair before I wash and condition it. After that I wash the sweat and grime from my day off. By the time I'm done, I feel better physically. My emotional state, however, could use some help. Kyoya will get over this anger he has towards me…he was scared…that's it. I let myself cry a little bit more. After a while I sigh and turn off the water. This isn't helping. I get out and dry myself off. I walk out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped around my body. I go into the closet and dress in a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top. I pull on Kyoya's jacket and walk out. I jump upon seeing him. He still looks angry.

"I apologize." He says and I raise my eyebrow at him as I walk over to my vanity and sit down after draping my towel on the back of the chair. I begin the mechanical motions of brushing through the mop of blonde curls. "Anya…say something."

"I don't see why I should." I say, running the brush roughly through my hair. I get frustrated as I can't get the brush through a knot so I throw it and rest my face in my hands, elbows resting on the vanity. Suddenly, someone is brushing through my hair gently. I look in the mirror and Kyoya is standing behind me.

"You really should dry it." He says and I continue my silence. "I punched a man…I'd never done that before today." He walks over and grabs the towel and gently towel dries my hair. "When I heard you say that he hit you…I couldn't stop myself." He says as he goes back to brushing. He looks at the various things on the vanity and picks up a comb in favor of the brush. "I…didn't know what to do when I realized that you were gone. I'm ashamed of that…it was Mori-senpai who got everything in motion. He would probably be the better option for you."

"Shut up." I say, rolling my eyes. "Didn't I tell you to not be so dramatic last night? My life is already too much like a soap opera as it stands and to top it all off, I was kidnapped today." I don't get up and move away….only because I don't want my hair ripped out of my scalp. "So don't make this about you…I realize you were worried, but imagine how I felt. I was ready to do ANYTHING in order to protect Addie. I realize that everyone is probably mad at me for putting myself in a bad situation, but at least I'm safe now and it wasn't related. So stop being a jerk to me…because right now I don't need that." The sob at the end of my spiel is completely unwelcomed. By this point, he had finished brushing out my hair.

"Anya…" He says and I stand up and throw my arms around his neck. I sob into his chest, much like I did last night. "I promise I won't let this happen again."

"Just shut up." I sob, holding onto him for dear life. His arms are tight around me. "You're a moron."

"I know." He says simply and I shake my head. "Anya…you don't have to be afraid anymore."

"Hell yeah I do." I say, drawing back and looking at him like he's insane. "I've got a lot of things to be afraid of."

"Anya, you're speaking French." He says, an amused look on his face for the first time since I've seen him.

"So? It's easier for me. You're speaking it too. I have so many things to be afraid of. I have to get married in a couple of years. I have to choose between two people who I really care about. I know that there will be hurt feelings either way and it's tearing me apart." I say, playing up the theatrics. I should just tell him…no. He's a jerk, so I should make him wait. I should make this harder on him.

"Is everything alright? I hear languages that I don't speak." Addie says, poking her head in. I nod at her and she smiles a little before backing out.

"Anya…please, there will be no hurt feelings. Mori and I have talked about it." He says, trying to sooth me. "No matter who you choose, we will both be fine." He assures me and I shake my head.

"I mean…I'm not even going to get to follow my dream of opening up a bakery." I say, pacing back and forth now. "I'm going to have a baby on my hip in four years' time. I won't be able to go to college…" The panic creeps up on me. "And before I know it I'm going to have four children! And let's be honest, I'm not really mother material!"

"Anya!" Kyoya exclaims, grabbing my arm above my wrist. "Calm down…you'll be able to do anything that you want to do. Don't think your life away so quickly."

"Wish." I say, correcting his mistake. He shakes his head. "You meant think? I mean…well yeah, I guess I don't WANT to be a mother of four before I'm twenty-one."

"So see? We'll be able to move at your own pace." He says and then he stops. I don't say anything. "I mean…"

"I know." I say simply and he relaxes a little bit. I offer a small smile. "I just…today has put a lot of things into perspective for me. Apparently I can now fling grown men over my shoulder."

"About that…" Kyoya says, rubbing his own shoulder. I flush a little bit. "I have a question." I nod. "What did you mean earlier when you said that you would be my vase?"

"It's nothing…it's a stupid idea that I came up with." I say, as I go to pull my hair into a bun. He stops me.

"Leave it…your hair looks nice when it's down like that." He says and I flush again. "I want to know about this…stupid idea."

"Well…what do rich people like? Pretty things to look at to express their socioeconomic status to other people." I say, hoping that he'll understand and I won't have to finish. "You don't get it? Okay…I don't want to be just some pretty thing that people can look at. I don't want to be an accessory and I feel like you're trying to make me into an accessory."

"What? No, that's crazy." He says, shaking his head. "I wouldn't want to change a single thing about you. Yes, you make me absolutely insane with concern and confusion, but I wouldn't have you any other way. If you were to be mine…I would want nothing more than for you to be yourself." He says and then he shakes his head. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't be talking like that." He stands. "They've probably gotten Tamaki to translate for them by this point." I smile and we go into the living room. Everyone is sitting there, too casual.

"Nosey bastards." I say, shaking my head. Three out of the four of them look ashamed…the one who isn't being Addie. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"You aren't a vase, Anya." Tamaki says and I smile softly. "You're a person to all of us. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way."

"It's okay…it isn't something that I'm not used to. Girls of society are always being pushed towards being perfect little things." I say and the boys all look ashamed.

"Hey…at least it's not America. Rich women are either dumb bimbos or boring scientists…there is very little in between." Addie says and that gets a laugh out of us. "But seriously…you guys need to relax on the whole gender role idea. I don't like being put in a box."

"Okay, so boxes are bad." Hikaru notes and I smile at them. We exchange idle chit chat for a while…the six of us all sitting around in the living room. Addie keeps glancing towards the door. Suddenly, a knock is heard. Kyoya is the one who answers it. Takashi, Hunny, and Haruhi all walk in. I smile, and suppress a yawn. "Uh oh, looks like Princess Anya is tired. We better let them get some sleep." I open my mouth to disagree.

"Bed. Now. Both of you." Takashi orders and I raise my eyebrows at him. "We have an early start tomorrow and you two had a rough day."

"I like it when you're forceful, big brother." I say as I stand up, a little delirious in my sleepy state. I laugh as I enter my room. "Goodnight, everyone." I say, closing the door. Once that barrier is up, I sit down on my bed and take off Kyoya's jacket. I look at my wrists…is it possible for them to look that much worse. I close my eyes against the tears that threaten to fall. I still need to be strong…but it's just me, so I guess I can be a little weak. I don't have to keep up a façade…I lay down on my side, facing the French doors that lead out onto the balcony and hug a pillow as I allow the tears to flow freely. I don't sob like I was earlier with Kyoya. I feel the man's hands on my face, on my arm wrenching me down that hall way. I curl into a ball, willing myself to sleep. After a while I deem it impossible and pull on Kyoya's jacket before I go out to the balcony. He is sitting on one of the chairs generally used for sunbathing with his laptop on his lap.

"I was wondering how long it would be before you came out here." He says, a mixture of his gentle tone and his usual calculating tone. "Are you alright?"

"No." I answer honestly. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be running the numbers for the host club's activities or something?" I ask and he wiggles his lap top a little.

"I knew that you wouldn't be able to sleep." He says and I put a hand on my hip. "I have my ways of knowing…"

"You looked in my window, didn't you?" I ask and he neither confirms nor denies. "You've been such a stalker lately…but I guess that's how you found me. What is it?"

"What is what?" He asks and I give him a look. He sighs before he shuts his lap top and stands up. "Fine. The locket…it has a chip in it."

"So much for a sweet gesture." I say dryly and he frowns. "I can't figure you out…one minute I think….and then…" I sigh, and rest my arms on the balcony, looking out over the ocean. I hear him walk over and glance to the side as he takes up a similar pose to me.

"I feel the same." He says dryly. "One minute it seems like you…I don't know, you're going to pick me…and then we argue and it seems like you'll never speak to me again."

"Maybe if you weren't such an ass." I offer and I hear him sigh. "What would you want me to pick you for anyway? I'm annoying, short, and I cry way too much."

"The only true thing you said just then is that you're short." He says and I gape at him. "That isn't a bad thing though. Anyway…you aren't annoying and I've rarely seen you cry. On the contrary, you keep your composure very well."

"It's my job. I'm a big sister you know, I have to be okay even when I'm not so that Francois doesn't get scared. Spiders, which I'm deathly afraid of. Loud noises. The dark." I say, looking back at the water. "They're all things that I have to overcome when I'm with him so that he can be okay."

"What about you?" He asks and I shake my head. "You matter, Anya." I look back at him and smile a little, shaking my head.

"See? This is what I mean. There are three different sides of you when it comes to me. There is cute Kyoya, who gets flustered. Then there's serious Kyoya, who compliments me and tries to make me feel better about the world. Then there is asshole Kyoya who makes me want to throw things." I am a little frustrated by the time I'm done speaking. "That doesn't even include Demon Lord Kyoya, Shadow King Kyoya, or Host Club Kiss Ass Kyoya. This many personalities and I'm tempted to have you diagnosed with multiple personality disorder."

"You won't see this while you're staying with us, but it is very demanding being the youngest child of the Ohtori family." He says, looking away from me. "Half the time I can't tell up from down."

"Would he be easier on you if I picked you?" I ask and he looks at me, with his eyebrows furrowed. "You never told me why you would want to marry me. Unless the reason is solely that your father wants you too…"

"Absolutely not." He says, rejecting my last idea outright. "As I have mentioned before, you're not unattractive…we're the same age...I like to think we're friends…"

"Okay, those are all reasons why you wouldn't mind marrying me. I tried to ask Takashi the same thing and he just stared at me for ten minutes. I mean…if neither of you really WANTS to marry me, then I guess I can just flip a coin. Takashi would call it, only because he's older." I say, standing upright and putting my hands on my hips. The look on his face can only be described as anguish.

"How you make me feel…" He says as he stands up and begins pacing. "I don't exactly know how to make sense of it. When you put yourself in foolishly dangerous situations I become furious…when I notice any other men looking at you hungrily I feel violent towards them. You deserve to be respected." He stops and looks at me for a second before he starts pacing again. This seems to be a modified form of cute Kyoya. "When you laugh or smile…it makes me happy. Like no matter what…everything is okay."

"Are you in love with me, Kyoya?" I ask and he stops, looking at me like I'd just turned his world upside down…again. "Are you going to fight for me…or are you going to remain passive?"

"You aren't a prize to be won." He says, a bit of bite to his tone. "If you do in fact pick me, I want it to be because you picked me of your own free will."

"But that won't happen if you don't make me fall in love with you." I say, trying to make him understand what I want. He looks crazy with confusion…his hair, which is normally in perfect order, is in perfect disarray. "I don't want to marry out of necessity. I don't want to marry because I was just handed to some guy to protect me. If I have to get married in a year or so, I want it to be because he really loves me and I love him."

"Why do we always end up talking about this in an argumentative tone in French?" He asks and I laugh. "Do you even realize when you switch over?"

"Honestly…no. It is my natural tongue. Maybe it's a sort of defense mechanism. I have high emotions and so my body tries to make me as comfortable as possible. It tries to take me home when I can't be there." I say, trying to relax my rigid posture.

"You know…since we argue so much in French, I have gotten much better at speaking it. If you wanted, we could talk this way. Not arguing…but just talking."

"I would like that…but you'll only do it in private or as a host. French is too lovely of a language for the Shadow King to speak in mixed company." I say and he gives me one of his signature contemplative looks. "And you still never answered my question."

"I will…but only in good time. Would you like for me to sit with you until you fall asleep?" He asks and I blush.

"That might help." I admit. He goes over to the chair he had been sitting in and takes his laptop into his room before he walks with me to my room. I climb in the bed and get under the covers. "Your house is a lot bigger than the Suoh's second mansion…I'm afraid I'll be lonely there."

"Do you remember what I promised you last night?" He asks and I shake my head. "I promised you that you would never be alone again." He smirks then. "I see you're still wearing my jacket."

"Do you want it back?" I snap and he just smiles. "Then don't bring attention to it. Get that smirk off of your face."

"You're very demanding when you're tired." He says and I roll my eyes. "I hate when you do that."

"I hate when you're a snarky asshole, but we can't change everything about some people." I say and he chuckles.

"Go to sleep, Anya…we have a long day ahead of us." He says and I roll my shoulders back with a satisfactory pop before I relax on the pillow. He pushes the sleeve up on my left arm to reveal my wrist. "Does it hurt?"

"I thought you wanted me to go to sleep." I say and he raises an eyebrow at me. "They're tender. Dr. Honda said to leave the bandages off at night though. In the morning she told me to have someone help me put more on. I have some medicine for it."

"Alright, I will make sure someone is able to help you before we go." He says and I rest my head on the pillow again. He holds my hand in his. It doesn't take very long before I fall asleep.

* * *

"Hana!" I exclaim as I get out of the car. Kyoya follows behind me, looking around. "I didn't think I would get to see you while I was here!" I smile.

"Mr. Ohtori requested that I come to work here while you were staying here, Miss." She says, bowing respectfully to Kyoya and I. "May I take your guitar?"

"Yes, please." I say handing it over to her. Since I got here, she's been the only person I really trust carrying it for me. She takes it inside while some other staff members collect our things from the trunk of the car.

"Would you like a tour?" Kyoya asks and I nod up at him. "Please follow me, then." He is somewhat cold, but his father is probably watching us from somewhere. I wonder what his father would think if he saw Sweet Kyoya with me. Maybe it would please him. Kyoya leads me around the entire house, explaining a specific painting, pointing out a music room, and even a very nice library. Finally, we end up at my room. "And this will be your room. If there is anything you don't like about it, you're more than welcome to have it changed. I took the liberty of suggesting some things to the designer." I open the door and smile. The walls are a beautiful lavender color and the rest of the room is flowery in the sense of my personality, delicate lace accents in places, very soft colors. I turn around and look at Kyoya, whose standing in the doorway.

"It's perfect." I say with a brilliant smile. He lets out a small sigh of relief and I laugh. "Really Kyoya…it's like you know me or something."

"I like to think so. We will be having lunch with my family in the garden in an hour, so I will leave you to get settled for now and I'll come and get you later." He says, almost formally. "Make yourself at home…"

"Alright." I say and he closes the door as he leaves. I go over to the closet and open the door. It's a large walk-in, much like I'm used to. I look at myself in the mirror, determined that I look fine. My lip doesn't look as swollen today. I will put makeup on to hide the bruising on my cheeks. There is nothing I can do about my wrists, so I'll have to make the best of it. I change out of my traveling clothes, jeans and a tee shirt. I stand in my bra and underwear in the closet, searching for something that isn't too much. I settle on one of my favorite dresses. The higher neckline is modest and the length isn't too short. I leave my locket on, needing my family close to my heart for this. I step into some toned down heels before I check out my reflection. I go over to the vanity that has all of my makeup on it and get to work covering the bruises. After that, I do very light eyes and avoid my lips altogether. When I finish that, I style my hair half up, half down. I stand up and look at myself. I look perfect…well, almost. There's a knock on my door. I glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand and see that an hour has gone by. I go over and open the door.

"Anya…" He says, his eyes wide. I back away, terrified that this is way too much. "No…this is…you're perfect." I smirk.

"Why thank you." I say, allowing him to escort me to lunch. As we approach the garden, I begin to get nervous. "Why do I feel like I'm being led to an interrogation?"

"Because you will probably feel like it." He answers honestly. As Mrs. Ohtori stands, all of the men at the table do as well. She comes over and kisses me on each cheek.

"I've been doing some research on French culture." She whispers and I smile at her. "Please, come and sit down." I walk over to the table, Kyoya close. One of Kyoya's brothers helps his sister into her seat while Mr. Ohtori helps his wife. Kyoya helps me and we're all seated. A serving staff brings out drinks and an appetizer. I feel incredibly awkward.

"Miss Masson, how are you finding Japan?" Mr. Ohtori asks and I politely wipe my mouth with my napkin.

"It has been lovely, thank you for asking, sir." I say, remembering all of the etiquette that I have learned throughout my life.

"Yesterday must have been quite a scare for you though." He says, being very polite. He is intimidating though. To think….this man will be my father-in-law.

"It was, but I survived thanks to Kyoya." I say with a small smile. "However, I would not recommend ever getting kidnapped." Everyone chuckles a little except for Mr. Ohtori and probably his oldest son.

"Your dress is very nice." Kyoya's sister says, what was her name…Fuyumi? Then his brothers are Yuuichi and Akito. "I vaguely remember Kyoya mentioning something about you and fashion. Is it that you wish to do that after high school?"

"Oh no." I say, shaking my a little. "I fear my drawing abilities are quite limited. I actually have aspirations of starting a business…a bakery. Fashion is sort of an outlet for me…where I couldn't exactly control certain circumstances; I can control how I look."

"Well, you do a lovely job." Mrs. Ohtori says and I blush a little. We all eat quietly. I don't relax one bit. "Other than the unfortunate events of yesterday, how was Okinawa?"

"It was absolutely lovely." I say, smiling brightly. "Where I am from, there are mostly cliffs and rocky beaches, so sand was nice to experience here."

"Where in France are you from, Miss Masson?" The eldest brother asks, I think he is Yuuichi. Yes…he is.

"My family's home is near a lovely little town in the Provence region. It is beautiful…there are fields of flowers everywhere." I say fondly.

"Japan must be very boring to you then." Akito says and I almost gape at him. Why would he say such a thing? I just said that I liked Japan. I see his father give him a look.

"On the contrary," I begin, taking a delicate drink of water. "I believe in various forms of beauty. While the aesthetics of my home are my preferred venue, the friendships that I have made while I have been here in Japan have opened my eyes to many beautiful things about this country. So many places are so ornate; I'd love to visit everything." I say, almost shyly at the end. Mrs. Ohtori looks like she's bursting with excitement. "There is beauty in everything if you look at it closely enough and of course with the right frame of mind."

"Very well put, Miss Masson." Mr. Ohtori says and I bow my head in thanks. "How has my son been treating you in school?"

"He is very protective." I say with a little bit of a laugh. "Being new and foreign, I'm a bit of a novelty along with my friend Miss Bennett." I detect a smile in his features as I say that. So the blushing, shy beauty act is working. Hopefully Kyoya gets praised later…maybe that will put him in a great mood.

"Suoh had mentioned something about that. I'm glad to see that he is making sure you're well taken care of." He says and I smile. The rest of lunch goes by without incident. By the time we are done, and Kyoya is escorting me back towards my room I am exhausted.

"Your father is a very intimidating man." I whisper in French and Kyoya smiles a little bit. I look at his eyes and they are sparkling with some emotion. Sparkling!

"Yes, but he adores you." He says, testing out the phrase in French. I nod encouragingly. "He seemed to actually enjoy your humor."

"What? And most people don't? I am a very funny lady, Kyoya." I say and he holds up his hands in surrender.

"What I'm saying is…that lunch couldn't have gone better. I loved watching Akito's face when you turned around his rude remark." He says and I smile. "You didn't have to hide your…" He's searching for the word, but he can't find it.

"Bruises?" I ask and he nods. "That was for me, Kyoya. My appearance is the only thing I have control over." I say with a sigh. "Everything else…well, it makes me feel a little lost."

"I'll always find you." He says and that makes me blush. "I'm sorry…" He looks away. I feel the boldness streaking through me. I grab his arm and yank him down to my height before I plant a kiss on his cheek. I then run away to my room. Once I get there, I close the door and stand with my back to it. After a moment, I hear him outside the door. His knuckles brush up against it…he must be thinking. I hear him sigh a little before he walks away. I smile to myself before pushing away from the door and flopping down onto the bed. Maybe it won't be so bad…staying here.


	6. Anya: The Flirty Type

_And to think...earlier I had no idea where to go with this chapter! It's a quickie, but a goodie. At least, I like to think so. I thought that you deserved a break from the intensity, so this is kind of fun. In case you missed the announcement, on my profile you can find a link to my Polyvore account. You can check out Anya's style! I mainly use it to gather inspiration. Anyway, enjoy the chapter darlings! _

"Annie…I have a problem." Addie says over the phone. I look around, the host club is staring at me expectantly. "Code Cinnamon."

"Code Cinnamon!?" I shriek. "No! No! That's bad! Cinnamon needs to go! He's going to ruin my OTP!"

"Trust me…it was a surprise. I need to go now, though, it will look suspicious because I've been in the bathroom so long." She says and I sigh.

"You will call me if anything happens. You know that I am only a phone call away." I say, concern flecking my tone.

"Of course, darling." She says and then the line disconnects. I sigh and put my phone in my bag.

"Everything is fine…but seriously…thank you guys for the kitchen." I say with a smile. "I'll have to start baking sweets straight away."

"Yay!" Hunny-senpai exclaims. I go over to the brand new kitchen that they had built for me right in the clubroom and begin exploring.

"Is everything alright with Adelaide?" Kyoya asks as he walks over. I glance over at him and smile, partially to hide my distress and partially because he is still keeping up his idea that speaking to me in French will make things a little better.

"Yeah…uh…she has a boyfriend apparently…and he's come to visit her for a while." I say, the disappointment clear on my tone. "She didn't sound right."

"I'll start looking into it." He says immediately and I pull out my cellphone. "What are you going to make?"

"Something I found online…Strawberry brownies." I say as I pull up the recipe. "But really…thank you for this."

"It's no problem at all. This should cut the costs of Hunny-senpai's sweets by at least fifteen percent." He says as he glances at his little black book.

"One day, you will let me read that." I say, pointing a spoon at him. He raises an eyebrow. "I mean, I could just sneak into your room when you're sleeping. You sleep like the dead anyway….and you snore."

"The one time you were there when I was asleep was when I was sick." He says indignantly. He coughs and straightens his tie. "There is an apron…so that you don't mess up your clothes."

"Is there?" I ask looking around. He walks over to a drawer and opens it and pulls out the apron. It isn't insanely cutesy, but it's still pretty cutesy. I take off my blazer and hang it on a hook. I rub my pale arms a little before I take it from him. "Thanks." I say as I pull my hair up. I put on the apron and look up to see him blushing a bit. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"No…it's nothing. A strange dream I had is all." He says before he tries to walk away. I catch his hand, smirking at him.

"Was it another dream Kyoya is married with kids sort of dream?" I ask and he blushes again, looking away like a child. "Tell me about it while I wash my hands." I say as I go over to the sink. He follows quietly.

"Alright…well we were married." He says and I nod, urging him on. "And you had kicked the chef out of the kitchen and you were baking because you were…this is ridiculous. I shouldn't be telling you this." He shakes his head and I look up at him.

"Kyoya…remember what I said? We can't be afraid of the idea because it's a possibility, so just tell me." I say gently.

"You were pregnant…barely showing, but I knew that you were and you looked ridiculously happy." He says, smiling a little. "Seeing you bake just sort of reminded me of that. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." I say as I start putting ingredients together. "Lots of boys probably dream of getting me pregnant. It's been that way since I turned thirteen. Really kind of gross when it's older guys." I glance over and he's gaping at me. "I'm only sort of joking, Kyoya."

"Hey! No fair! We don't speak French!" The twins shout as they come over. I threaten them with a spoon.

"Good! If you did, I'd never have any private thoughts." I say and they grin at me. "You boys…I swear." I glance over and see that Kyoya has made his exit.

"He looked embarrassed." Hikaru notes as he goes to sit on the counter. I slap his butt with a spatula. "Ouch!"

"I'm not going to dish. We speak French because it's private…more…" I search for the word as I stir.

"Intimate?" Kaoru suggests and I smile my thanks. "I mean…it makes sense. You guys are…well…you know."

"I know." I say with a small smile. "I just…I want to tell him, but I also don't want to tell him. There's this whole thing…I think he has multiple personality disorder or something…I'm not entirely serious…but I don't know. He pisses me off really bad sometimes."

"It kills me. There are times where you can't think of words like 'intimate', but you know how to curse just fine." Hikaru says, shaking his head. "And don't think we don't know how often you curse in French."

"It is an important aspect of culture." I say with a shrug. "You boys know that I am nothing if not a well cultured young lady."

"If that's what you want to call it." He says dryly and I laugh. "What are you making? It smells like strawberry…"

"They're strawberry brownies, I saw the recipe online and I wanted to try it. I hope Hunny-senpai approves." I say as I pour the contents of my mixing bowl into the glass dish and pop in in the preheated oven.

"He will…remember that one time you made those cookie bars?" Kaoru says and I laugh at the fond memory. "We only got one!"

"I'll make some especially for you two." I smile as I lean against the counter. "You know? I think I'm kind of happy right now."

"Good!" They chime in unison. I look at them and laugh. Suddenly, the sound of a motor breaks through the air. I jump, and Hikaru is the only reason I don't fall.

"That's it! I have discovered what your type is, Anya-senpai!" A girl with a darker blonde hair says as she points directly at me. "You're the flirt!"

"I'm not a flirt!" I exclaim, scrunching my eyebrows together. "Who the hell are you to call me a flirt!?"

"Anya…please." Kyoya says and I look at him hard. He gives me his signature 'we'll talk about it later' look.

"You are the flirty type. Boys practically trip over your every word." She says as she walks over to me. She's taller than me, which puts me even more on edge. "I think that it would be a good idea for you to…hmm…You could write an advice column! Though there is the problem that Yurik-" I clamp my hand over her mouth.

"Let's talk privately for a moment." I say as I gently pull her off to the side. Everyone resumes their pre-club activities. "Kyoya and the others don't know about Yuriko." I say very quietly. "I don't want them to…so please don't say anything about it."

"Oh alright, but you have to promise to play your role!" She exclaims and I sigh, silently admitting defeat. "Kyoya! Kyoya! Anya-senpai is going to be joining the club now!" He looks at me and I do my best impression of the 'we'll talk later' look. He smirks a little bit.

"Alright then. I suppose we can find something for her to do. Anya, how do you feel about being the club's official baker? We can pay you for your services of course." He says, his glasses glinting. It's all an act. I shake my head, successfully not laughing.

"Alright, and you don't have to pay me. Just keep my kitchen well stocked." I say as I head back over to it. I check the oven. "I'm not a flirt." I mutter to myself as I place the oven mitts on my hands. "I don't even know how to flirt." I lean down, grabbing the glass pan with the mitts.

"Muttering isn't very lady-like." Kyoya says and I jump and burn my wrist on the rack. I bite my lip as I stand up. I calmly set the dish down on top of the stove before I go over to the sink. I let out a shaky breath as I turn on cold water. "What happened?"

"You scared me…and I burnt my wrist." I say, looking at the little blister forming there. The rope marks have long since gone…but that won't stop him from freaking out.

"Here, let me help you." He says, immediately having a first aid kit for some reason. He expertly takes care of my burn.

"Hey, you should be a doctor or something." I say, smirking a little. "Just try to wear a bell or something…or don't sneak up on people leaning into an oven."

"I didn't mean to frighten you, I thought you saw me walking over." He says and I smile. "Are you alright with this…really?"

"Yes, Kyoya." I say rolling my eyes a little. I go over and put the oven mitts on again so that I can move the brownies to the cooling unit. "But I'm not a flirt." I mutter again.

"I know you aren't." He says, chuckling at my dark aura. "I'll have Haruhi talk to her about it."

"Bless." I say, leaning against the counter. "I know you don't care much for sweets…but I worked really hard and I'd like for you to at least try this." I nod towards the brownies.

"For you, anything." He says and I blush. He smirks and writes something down in his book. I dive for it and miss, falling to the ground. "Now see what you've done, you're going to be black and blue and Adelaide will blame me."

"She does have a habit of doing that…doesn't she?" I ask, rolling onto my back and looking up at him with a smile. "Just let me read it!"

"In your dreams." He says, jotting something else down before he puts it away. "Here, let me help you up."

"No, I will stay here until you let me read that damn book." I say, folding my arms across my chest.

"Anya…please." He says and I shrug, looking disinterested as I stare at the ceiling. "You left me no choice. Mori-senpai." He says simply and suddenly I am thrown over the gentle giant's shoulder.

"Let go of me!" I shout, beating on his back to no avail. "Takashi!" I exclaim, trying to kick but also trying not to flash anyone. "This is really inappropriate! My skirt is too short for this!"

"Don't worry, nothing will show." He says and I sigh, resting my elbow on his back. "You shouldn't lie on the floor."

"You should lift girls in short skirts into the air." I say and he chuckles. "Sure, you won't be laughing when I kick your butt later at practice."

"That will be the day." He says and I scoff. He sets me down on a couch. "Be good." He turns and walks away.

"You know Senpai…" Haruhi starts as she sits down on the couch next to me. "I've never seen Kyoya-senpai act that way before."

"Oh, he's in love with me. He just hasn't exactly put it together yet." I say and she blanches. "What I mean is…he's told me things that make me believe that he loves me…but I don't think that he realizes that it's actually love yet."

"Ah…that makes sense. He's so…tender and then he goes right from tender to the harsh and cold guy I already know. It's a little unnerving." She says and I laugh. "Anya-senpai…are you in love with him?"

"Shhhh." I say, holding a finger to my lips. She smiles and we giggle together. Suddenly Tamaki is upon us and we clam up, looking at him blankly.

"What were you two giggling about?" He asks, hopeful that his 'daughter and sister' will open up to him.

"Nothing, Tama." I say as I stand up and pat him on the cheek. He's suddenly gone, crying in the corner before Kyoya drags him out.

"Ladies! It is my pleasure to make you away that the host club will be holding a dance this coming Friday!" Tamaki says, oozing his princely aura. They all squeal and frankly….act like he is the most dreamy thing on the planet. Tamaki has a nice face, yes, but once you get past that exterior…well he's kind of derpy. That's when it clicks…this club works so well and it's so lucrative because these girls don't know the true man (or even woman) behind the host. They're all, aside from Takashi, flirts.

"Annie! Your strawberry brownies are delicious!" Hunny-senpai says, drawing me out of my thoughts. "Will you make more for me sometime?" He asks, his eyes sparkling in their cute child-like way.

"Of course!" I exclaim and walk over towards them. "How did you all enjoy them? Should I make more now?" I ask, being friendly.

"They're very good, Anya!" A girl in my year exclaims, seemingly a little embarrassed that she likes them so much. "I would really enjoy it if you did."

"No problem! I'll get started on that." I say with a smile before I go back to the kitchen and begin making more. I make two batches this time.

* * *

I sigh as I push a utensil drawer closed with my butt, leaning against the cabinet. That was almost too much baking for one person.

"You worked really hard today." Kyoya says as he walks over. "Everything was delicious."

"You're just saying that because I'm pretty." I say with a smile. I untie the apron and place it on the hook as I exchange it for my blazer. "Are you about ready to go home?"

"Yes, I need just a moment to collect my things." He says and that's when the twins walks up.

"We need to borrow Annie-senpai for a moment." They say in unison as they drag me off to the back room. They begin measuring me, each taking a portion of my body.

"Alright, we'll have your fitting tomorrow and final fitting on Thursday." Hikaru says and I raise an eyebrow at him. "For your dress of course!"

"Yes, you'll be attending the dance. It's a rule that all members of the host club have to go." Kaoru says and I sigh.

"Alright, whatever. Just don't put me in pink, I hate wearing all pink dresses." I say, resigning to my fate. "I'll see you boys tomorrow." I smile at them and head back out. "They just wanted to get my measurements." I inform Kyoya as I walk over to him. I pick up my bag. "It will be tasteful, I've threatened them with bodily harm before and they know I'm serious."

"Good." He says, offering me somewhat of a smile. "I'm ready." I nod and we walk out, leaving Tamaki in charge (God save us all). We climb into the black car in silence and it stays that way until we're most of the way back to his house. "My father spoke to me the other day…"

"Yes, generally when one's father is around he would speak to his child." I say and he gives me a look.

"He is thrilled by how accomplished you are…" He says and I raise an eyebrow. "He has particular interest in the line of work that you wish to do after university."

"So college is in this three year plan." I say with a laugh. "Good…I'm glad he's impressed by me."

"He is absolutely impressed. You're not like any other girl in that school. Most young ladies our age aren't nearly as accomplished." He says and I blush.

"You're just being too kind, now." I say and he gives me a look. "Kyoya, I am not that accomplished. I play a few instruments, I like to bake. That's all. I'm not particularly smart or anything. Not like you."

"You're brilliant." He says and I shake my head, knowing I will not win this argument. "I wish that you could see that." By this point, we are getting out of the car and walking inside together. A couple of maids take our school things.

"Really you are too kind." I say, still shaking my head. "Hold that thought. I just had a brilliant idea for a song and I need to play it now!" I say as I fly through the house and sit down on the piano bench in the 'living area'. It is the nearest of the three in the house. I have my phone out and ready to record. I begin playing. I'm vaguely aware of Kyoya standing in the doorway. I try to ignore him the best I can. I stop for a second and move up a key. As soon as I'm satisfied with the idea, I stop and hit stop on my recording. "Sorry…it sounded better in my head, so that's why I acted that way."

"Why would you be sorry?" He asks and I look away, a little embarrassed. "Anya, never be sorry…not with me."

"Haruhi noticed how tender you are with me." I say, almost in a teasing manner. "If she noticed, then it must be obvious."

"Yes, but I'm not entirely too tender I don't think. You still get mad at me." He notes and I grin as I stand up.

"Nothing is perfect. Finding perfection within the imperfection is half the fun." I say and he looks a little confused. "Half?" I ask and he nods. "Half." I translate for him.

"Sometimes you go a little fast for me." He says and I grin. I know that he has the most fun when he is challenged.

"How else am I supposed to keep the upper hand? That's the job of the woman, at least that's what I was taught. My mother always says that if he is winning, then you are doing something wrong. I swear…she kept something very dear to my father in a jar on her desk." I say and he looks at me in disbelief. "Was that too vulgar?"

"More surprising. As I said before, I am used to the more passive girls." He says and I grin. "You are anything but passive and compliant."

"When I want to be." I say with a shrug. "You'd get bored if it were too easy to be around me. My goal is to always keep you on your toes."

"Yours forever?" He asks and I smirk, pointing at him like I'm in on the joke. "Did I say it wrong?"

"Perhaps you just meant, forever?" I ask and he nods. "Maybe forever." He looks a little frustrated. "Kyoya, please don't push me. This is my life we're talking about."

"I know. I'm sorry." He says, looking away. "My father…" I feel my shoulders slump. "But that isn't…"

"I know." I say with a small smile. "I'm really tired, so I think I'm going to try and take a nap before dinner."

"Of course." He says and I walk away, heading up the stairs and to my room. In the few weeks I've been here, I've learned my way around pretty well. As I enter my room, I open my lap top and see an email from Hikaru. I open it, vaguely interested and my eyes widen as I see what it is…scans of their drawings for my wedding dress. There are options….so many options. I close the lid, probably a little too roughly, as I head into the bathroom. I strip down and get into the shower. Once I get in, the water doesn't calm me. I slide down the shower wall, hugging my knees to my chest. What the hell is happening to my life? How much time has passed since I moved to Japan? Maybe four months? Francois has probably grown so much in that time. By the time I see him again, he won't love me like he does right now. He won't remember the big sister I was to him. I'll be a perfect little wife.

* * *

"Miss!" Hana exclaims as she walks into the bathroom. She reaches in and turns off the water before she grabs a towel and helps me stand. She wraps it around me before she takes me into her arms. "It's okay." She says, and I realize I'm crying. "I promise everything will be alright, Miss."

"I'm too young to get married." I sob into her shoulder and she holds me tighter. "I mean, I understand why I have to. I have to keep Francois safe. If they got him…I'd…"

"I know, Miss." She says, still holding me. "Let's get you dressed and I'll inform Mrs. Ohtori that you're not feeling well…I'll bring your dinner here." She suggests and I smile. "There we are."

"I love him, Hana." I say and she smiles, looking genuinely happy for me. "I just...I'm afraid that getting married right away I won't get to follow my dreams."

"To be absolutely fair, Miss. He wants to give you the entire world on a silver platter." She says and I chuckle. "Now, let's get you dressed." She says as she goes into my closet. She comes out bearing the appropriate clothing articles. I dress in the pajama pants and tank top. "Would you like for me to wash your hair in the sink? I know how you hate having your hair wet when it hasn't been washed."

"If it isn't too much trouble." I say sheepishly. She smiles as she gets everything ready. While she does that, I remove my contacts and put them in the solution. I sit in the chair and she washes my hair. I sigh, feeling the tension in my shoulders lessen considerable.

"And your nails, Miss? It's been a while since you've had a mani-pedi." She says, giving me a knowing look.

"You know me too well, Hana." I say chuckling. She finishes brushing and drying my hair and then she braids it. I put on my glasses and she gives me the mani-pedi, painting my nails my favorite shade of pink. It's not too bright, but it isn't dull. After they dry she turns down my bed for me.

"I'll bring your school bag over here too, and you just lie in bed and relax. I will take care of everything." She says, as she pulls the covers up over my lap. She brings my laptop and charger over, plugging it into the outlet not too far away and she sets my school bag on my bed. "Do you want your lap desk?" I smile and she grabs it for me. "I'll go and let Mrs. Ohtori know. Do you want tea?"

"That would be excellent, thank you so much Hana." I say with a genuine smile. She bows before she exits the room. I open my laptop and turn on my relaxation playlist, mostly Black Keys, Coldplay, and the like. Some of the songs on this playlist wouldn't relax some people, but they were my entry into the musical world as I love it. I then take out my homework and get to work finishing that. After a little while, there's a knock on the door. "Yes?" I call and Mrs. Ohtori enters. "Oh!" I go to stand up but she holds up a hand.

"That's alright, you're comfortable." She says with a smile. She closes the door behind her. I pause the song I was listening to, a little embarrassed. "May I?" She asks, gesturing to the bed. I nod and she sits down on the edge. "Hana tells me that you're not feeling well. I just wanted to check on you."

"I'm just feeling a little stressed out is all. Hana worries about me…" I say with a smile. "Probably not unnecessarily. She's seen me at my worst."

"I thought so…You've seemed a tad upset for the past few days." She says and I panic. "Oh no, you hide it well. Kyoya and my husband probably haven't noticed. I've just somewhat been in your shoes before. A young girl…afraid of the future, trying to please everyone."

"I just want to see my brother again." I say, letting my shoulders slump. She smiles sadly at me. "I got to speak to him and he sounds alright…but Papa doesn't let Maman baby him so much. I was the one who got the spiders for him and checked for monsters under the bed. I'm just afraid that he'll be a different little boy the next time I get to see him."

"You're a very brave girl, Anya." She says and I feel embarrassed. "You're brave, but it's okay to be a little weak sometimes. You have to be or else you'll explode."

"I know…I just don't know how to be weak without completely falling apart in the shower and having Hana come to my rescue." I say glumly.

"You'll figure something out that works for you. In the meantime…I would like to have some girl talk with you." She says and I smile a little. "How are things? I've noticed you two talking a lot in French."

"When I get mad at him, I generally end up yelling in French…so he suggested that we start speaking in French to each other in everyday conversation." I say, laughing a little. "I know it's a little silly…but it kind of makes me feel more at home."

"Then it isn't silly. If I knew French well enough, I would try to speak it with you. I fear, though, that a three year old child who speaks French would speak it far better than me." She admits and I laugh. "It's a beautiful language."

"Sometimes." I say with a shrug. "I told Tamaki that Kyoya spoke French and he seemed surprised…"

"Yes, he immediately started taking lessons when we learned that you would be coming over here." She says, selling her son out like it's nothing. I laugh. "He's much more of a romantic than I think he even gives himself credit for."

"A romantic pain in my butt." I say and she laughs. "I don't know up from down with him."

"I had a similar conversation with him the other day." She says with a laugh. "He's anxious…afraid that after the kidnapping and how he was frozen with fear that you'll marry the Morinozuka boy."

"Takashi?" I say, making a face. "No way…he's like a big brother to me. I keep thinking that Kyoya's figured it out…that I could never marry Takashi. One, my best friend is in love with him. Two, he treats me like a kid sometimes."

"You are children." She says a little sadly. "I hate having to watch you all grow up so fast. That's probably just the mother in me." She laughs, and it clicks.

"Kyoya looks a lot like you." I say and she smiles. "When you laugh…he holds himself in a similar way."

"Yes, he and Fuyumi take more after me." She says with a smile. "I should get back; my husband will wonder where I am."

"Is…marriage okay?" I ask, unsure of how to phrase my question. "I mean…I don't exactly know what I mean."

"At first, it was very strange. My husband is a very intimidating man, but once you know each other very well…it's easy. At least, that was my experience. I think that it will be different for you. Kyo may seem intimidating from time to time, but he would do anything for you." She says, searching my eyes.

"Thank you." I say quietly. She smiles before she gets up and exits my room quietly. I lie back on the pillows and stare up at the ceiling.

* * *

I start at the sound of knocking on my door. I stumble out of bed, fixing my glasses as I go. I open the door, yawning and stare up at Kyoya.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, still trying to form coherent thoughts in my mind. "Kyo?" He looks at me, something strange in his eyes. "Do you have a fever again? Come here." I say, reaching up to his face. He feels normal. "Hello? Anyone home?"

"I was…concerned when you weren't at dinner." He says finally and I smile a little. "My mother…said that she spoke with you and that everything was fine, but I wanted to see for myself."

"It's okay, you don't have to justify yourself to me." I say as I push my bangs, which had fallen out of the braid, back.

"I want you to talk to me about how your feeling. I want you to feel comfortable enough to do that." He says and the soft smile is back on my face.

"Right now?" I ask and he shrugs. I push open the door more, inviting him inside. I go into my closet and pull on a sweatshirt before I rejoin him in the sitting area. "What do you want to know?"

"I know you don't like when I ask you if you've decided and I know that there's no way in hell you'd tell me even if you had." He says and I laugh a little, taking my hair out of the braid. "But how do you really feel about getting married?"

"Absolutely terrified…in either case." I say, not holding back. "In one case, it feels incestuous. In the other, I'd be marrying into probably the most intimidating family in the world. The only two non-intimidating people in your family that I've met are your sister and your mother."

"You aren't intimidated by my mother?" He asks and I shake my head. "That's surprising…people usually are."

"She's different with me. We had girl talk earlier." I say, trying not to laugh. "What else would you like to know?"

"How do you feel about me?" He asks and I blush a little. "My reason behind asking this question is because…you could feel one way about one of us and still marry the other."

"I still feel like it's cheating." I say, but I sigh. "I really care for you, Kyoya. Not many people would learn French especially for me. Even though you're an asshole about sixty-five percent of the time, the other thirty-five percent of the time though…you're not so bad."

"I wouldn't say sixty-five percent." He says and I give him a look. "Maybe forty-five to fifty percent."

"I was being generous with sixty-five." I say dryly. "Twenty-five percent of the nice Kyoya time is when you're hosting. Only fifteen percent of your daily niceness goes to me. Or maybe a ten-five split. I know for a fact you're kind to your mother."

"That's an interesting notion…in its own way. Who gets the ten and who gets the five?" He asks and I laugh.

"Your mother probably gets the ten." I say and he looks amused. "See, that's why I'm mean sometimes, so that I get to enjoy my five percent."

"Want to know how I see it?" He asks and I shrug. "Fifteen percent goes to you. Another fifteen percent to my mother." He looks me in the eye. "That's only time specifically devoted to actually being nice, as you put it. Ten percent goes into hosting. So, if we're going by what you said. I am nice forty percent of the time. The other sixty percent is times when I'm grouchy or Tamaki and the rest of them are being idiots."

"You must be nicer than I realize then." I say and he shrugs. "I like your numbers better…they're prettier."

"I'll never understand why you hate decimals so much." He says and I laugh. "Is it because of rounding?"

"Fuck you." I say, laughing. He shakes his head. "What? Does my vulgar language offend you?"

"No…I often tell Tamaki the same thing when he tries to wake me up to take me on one of his adventures." He says and I laugh again. "You don't look bad in glasses."

"I forgot I was wearing them." I say, touching the frames. "I fell asleep in them…" I shake my head. "Wait a minute…you generally don't curse around me."

"Well I'm always trying to make sure I don't offend you…but quite frankly you curse like a sailor compared to our classmates." He says and I laugh. "The exception being Adelaide, she has quite the mouth on her."

"Uh…yeah." I say, nodding my agreement. "She really cracked open my shell." I go over and get my phone from the nightstand. "Oh, you called." I say and he shrugs. "You really were worried."

"Yes." He says, and I can tell he's squirming on the inside. "Do you feel better?" He asks and I shrug, going back over and sitting down.

"It's not just something I can get over, Kyo." I say, feeling lazy. "I am under a lot of stress."

"I've noticed. You're looking rather thin." He says and I roll my eyes. "Honestly, Anya. Am I going to have to feed you myself?"

"Honestly, Kyo. Am I going to have to tell you to stop worrying about me every day? Haven't you ever heard of worried sick?" I say and he smiles a little. "What?"

"I like when you call me Kyo." He says and I smirk. "I should let you get back to sleep; it's nearly three in the morning."

"What the hell are you doing awake!?" I exclaim and he shrugs as he stands up. "Kyoya…you really should take better care of yourself."

"I get most of my work done late at night." He says and I roll my eyes. "Oh, and if you would…please pack a change of clothes for after school."

"Alright. Go to bed, bossy." I say and he gets a mischievous look in his eyes. "What?" He grins.

"Only if you make me." He says and I raise my eyebrows and stand up, grabbing his arm. I yank him down the hall and into his room. He starts climbing the stairs and I kick his butt. I go up the stairs and push him down onto the bed. He lays down and I take his glasses off before I pull the covers up over him.

"Sleep." I command and he looks at me, his eyes shining. "Do not move from this bed until it is time for you to get ready for school." I point at him, menacingly. "Good night."

"Good night, Anya." He says and I head down the stairs and to my own room. I smile, leaning against the door. That was interesting.


	7. Barely Five Feet of Fury

_Hello lovely people! Welcome to chapter 7! I'm actually really excited about this chapter. It's pretty cute and relaxed compared to some other things that I may or may not have put you through previously. Anyway, I'm going to be busy for a couple of days, so leave me things! I like reading reviews. Let me know what you're thinking. I want to know what works! Also, I wrote most of this on my iPad, so there may be some typos. I tried to get all of them, but as I don't have anyone to read over it for me, I may have missed a few. Just let me know! Now that we have that out of the way, enjoy chapter 7!_

"So you just pushed him down? Was it hot?" Addie asks and I shake my head at her. "What? It sounds like there was enough sexual tension that you could cut it with a knife."

"No...I don't know...maybe?" I say, glancing around. "It feels weird talking about this out in the open."

"They won't cross Alfred." She says with a laugh. "So...Oliver is considering staying here. Going to school here with me. He says that he wants us to try having a normal relationship."

"I'm skeptical...but if that's what you want to do, then it's not my place to stop you." I say and she smiles her thanks. "Besides...my ship will not sink. You evil, evil girl."

"Yeah, you just give poor defenseless teenage boys wet dreams." She says and I gape at her like a fish. "Well, we better get started baking."

"You're such a bitch." I snicker and she shrugs. We get to work on baking all that was asked of us. Addie and I work in a harmonious pattern, ducking at the right times and so on. About half way through the hosting hours, we finish. If not for Haruhi doing the serving, we would still be working. "Wow..." I say, leaning against the counter.

"Wow indeed." She says, pushing her hair off of her forehead. "I'm gonna take these to the twins' table." She picks up a plate and walks off.

"I was supposed to send compliments." Kyoya says as he walks over to the island that separates the kitchen mostly from the rest of the room. "You seem to have a good rhythm with Adelaide."

"Yes, but I'm going to go home and take a three year nap." I say, exasperated. He looks a little concerned. "It's good for me...and Addie helps a lot."

"Don't overwork yourself." He orders and I smirk at him. "How have you been sleeping?" I lean against the cabinet.

"Well enough...when I'm tired enough." I say and he gives me a look. "What? Are you my guardian or something?"

"Actually, my mother was expressing concern." He says and I sigh. "You have circles under your eyes."

"It's genetic." I lie and it's his turn to sigh now. "I sleep when I'm tired enough. There isn't much I can do about it. I am trying."

"I know." He says and we stand there in s comfortable silence for a moment. "Thank you for your hard work."

"The sweets or taking care of you?" I ask and he gives me a look. "How did YOU sleep?" He flushes a little.

"Well, thank you. If you'll excuse me..." He says and then he walks away. I shake my head and set up the dishes to do some of them by hand.

"Looks like the little whore has to work to earn her keep now." Yuriko says as she walks up to the counter. "How does it feel to work like a commoner?"

"Humbling. Maybe you should try it." I say in a tight tone. She laughs her obnoxious little laugh, but I don't turn around.

"I see you haven't told anyone. Smart move." She says and I shake my head. "It's rude to ignore someone when they're speaking to you."

"It is also rude to be an insufferable, bratty, stuck up bitch." I mutter and smile as I hear Addie coming back. I turn around and see that Yuriko is gone.

"Hey...was she bothering you?" Addie asks, taking in my agitated posture and terse smile.

"No...Kyoya and I had a little spat." I say lightly. "It's nothing." I turn around and go back to doing the dishes. Addie puts the rest into the dishwasher and we high five when we finish. By that time, the club hosting hours are over. I go over and flop onto the couch Kyoya is sitting on. "I don't see why you had me bring other clothes. They were just covered by my apron." I say as I look up at him.

"You're more comfortable, and as I figured, your legs are more covered. The bruises bother me." He says and I raise my eyebrow at him.

"So it was for your benefit?" I ask and he shrugs. "Wait until I tell your mom that you made me change because my legs bother you."

"The bruises on your legs. Really...you've been tripping an extraordinary amount of times lately." He says and I shrug, looking away. "Do you need to see Dr. Honda?"

"For what? Gravity having it out for me?" I ask and he looks confused. "You're out of luck because I have no clue what you don't understand."

"Gravity." Tamaki cuts in, bowing nobly as he steps away from us. "I find it refreshing to hear so much French!"

"I don't." Hikaru says, swinging my legs around so that he can sit on my other side with me in the middle. "Did you get my email last night?" My sharp intake of breath causes heads to turn in my direction.

"Yes...they're lovely. Don't you have a dress for me to try on?" I ask, changing the subject. The twins then sweep Addie and I away.

"Spill." She says as we strip down to the bare bones and try on our dresses. I sip her up and she helps me in return. They're similar in the aspect that they're kind of lacey.

"I had a panic attack last night...it was bad. Hana had to get me out of the shower." I say and she looks sad. "I'm scared of marriage."

"You're seventeen, I don't blame you." She says and then we go out. Hikaru takes me, making sure everything fits perfectly.

"Kaoru, look. What did I tell you about this color?" Hikaru says, spinning me around. "The blonde and her fair complexion."

"Absolutely. Then of course, a red for the lovely Adelaide." Kaoru says and Addie and I check each other out. "Hey, none of that!"

"You're one to talk." I say with a laugh. "Are we free to go?" I ask and they nod. We go back behind the curtain and help each other out of our dresses. "He's right about this color."

"You'll knock Kyoya's carefully pressed socks off." She says as she puts her clothes back on. I slide my dress on and zip the side zipper. "But seriously...I don't like all the bruises I've been seeing."

"Don't look then." I say jokingly. "Really, I'm fine. I've been eating and I'm healthy as far as I know."

"Alright. Anyway, I got a text from Oliver...he starts tomorrow. He's in Takashi's class." She says and I raise my eyebrow.

"So the plot thickens." I step into my heels. "I'm sure everything will be okay." I smile and we walk back over to where everyone else is. I lay back how I was before Hikaru rudely moved me, my hair fanning out around my head.

"We need to have a photo shoot for you sometime soon." Kyoya notes as he glances at me. "So that you can be featured on the website."

"Is that really a good idea?" I ask and he looks at me for a moment before he accepts it. "Won't he be searching for me?"

"Yes, you're right." He says, shaking his head. Probably at himself. Just how tired is he? "Anya?"

"Kyo?" I say, looking at him again. He regards me for a moment...searching my face for something. "What is it?"

"Nothing." He says, cool and collected. I look at him for a while longer. He glances down at me again and I smile. "You look lovely."

"Thank you, Kyo." I say simply, folding my hands across my stomach. I look at it and shudder. One of these days, it will be big with a little life inside of it. "Kyo?" I ask and he hums, I know he's working. "Call me Annie." The sound of his typing stop and it's silent for a good minute.

"Okay." He says simply and I smile and close my eyes. The sounds of the keys tapping are surprisingly not annoying.

* * *

"Annie, we're home." Kyoya says, and I bat at him, eyes closed. "Annie...come on." I shake my head, laying it back down. "I'll carry you."

"I'd like to see you try." I say and then I'm being lifted out of the car. My eyes snap open and my arms go around his neck, holding on for dear life. "Oh, you're strong."

"You're difficult." He says and I laugh. He walks through the threshold and stops as he sees his father standing there. He sets me down gently. "Father." He bows and I follow his lead.

"Is everything alright?" He asks, his eyes searching me for signs of harm. He is a doctor after all...but still an intimidating businessman.

"Yes, sir. Kyoya was just carrying me because I fell asleep in the car on the way home." I say, my hands folded in front of me. "Everything is fine."

"That's good to hear." He says and then he walks away. The two of us let out a sigh of relief once he is out of earshot.

"What are you doing to me?" Kyoya asks, shaking his head. I walk over and jump into his arms again.

"Making you carry me upstairs because my feet hurt." I say and he looks at me dubiously before he adjusts his hold on me and begins walking.

"It isn't so much that I'm strong...you're very light." He says and I consider becoming deadweight.

"Why thank you." I say with a giggle. "But I'm not that light...you must be stronger than you think."

"Perhaps." He says and I look at him as he walks, eyes forward. "Not nearly as strong as Mori."

"A different kind of strong then." I say and he glances at me briefly. He stops again and I look over. His mother begins laughing.

"What do we have here?" She asks, walking up to us. Kyoya just adjusts his hold on me, he doesn't drop me like before. "Are you hurt, dear?"

"No, she's just being lazy." He says and I scoff. "You're the one who doesn't wear sensible shoes."

"Sensible shoes aren't cute." Mrs. Ohtori says and I give him the 'I win' look. "This is cute, though. I wondered why you'd been going to the gym more often."

"Thank you, Mother." He says through his teeth. I will tease him mercilessly later on about this.

"I'll leave you to it then, watch her head dear. It's far too pretty to be bashed in." She says and then continues on her way.

"Really...you should wear more sensible shoes." He finally says as he starts walking again. "She is going to tease me about this for months."

"Eh, consider it practice." I say, patting him on the chest. "Maybe." I add as he turns pink. "Oh Kyo."

"Annie." He says and we arrive at my door. "What is your middle name?" I raise an eyebrow at him. "I know it...I just want to hear you name yourself."

"Anya Marie-Sofie Masson." I say and he smiles. "What is that about, weirdo?" I ask and he shrugs. "Oh no, gym boy. Why did you want to hear me say that?"

"You have a beautiful voice." He says before he walks down the hall and goes into his room. I go into my own room and step out of my shoes. I take a look in the body length mirror. I don't look much different from what I did back home…or maybe I do. My cheekbones are a little more defined. My hair is definitely longer...at least to my elbows now. I am smaller, it seems. I don't look so much like a little girl though...not like I used to. No...right now I look exactly like my mother. The realization brings tears to my eyes. I turn in the mirror, observing every inch of my body that I can. The black tights cling to my legs, and they look pretty decent. I mean, of course they look decent without tights. The twins always tell me how great my legs are, I just laugh it off. My hips are wide, even though I'm so small. Good child-bearing hips, is what I've been told before by older women. It always made me self-conscious…now I put a hand on my stomach trying to imagine it, like earlier. This time it doesn't make me shudder. My mother was always glowing when she was pregnant with Francois. With my luck, I'll end up frumpy.

Growing up, I never really thought of myself as a child. I was independent and intelligent...I learned two other languages before the age of thirteen. Japanese, because we have some distant relatives here and my father wanted me to be able to communicate with the locale if we ever came for a visit. English, because everyone needs to know it in today's society. When Francois was born, I felt like just another adult. Someone to dote on him...of course the attention was off of me. Henri Masson had a male heir to his business. I was fine with that, because being a thirteen year old was tough enough without people always asking you what you wanted to do with your life. Coming here though...I feel like such a child. Everyone wants to take care of me. How can they not see that I am a woman now? Sure they don't see me as a vase, but I'm not a child. A child couldn't handle being taken from her home in the middle of the night and flown to a different country...with no goodbyes. A child couldn't face marriage with a straight face at all…I do that.

"Well...they'll see. Won't they." I say to my reflection before I go over to my laptop. I open the files that Hikaru had sent me. They really are beautiful...but there isn't one of them that is me exactly. I'll talk to them about it tomorrow. I close the lid and grab my guitar case. I sit down on my bed and begin strumming.

* * *

I step out of the black car and take a deep breath of the early autumn air. It seems like it's going to be a beautiful day.

"Annie?" Kyoya asks and I smile as I walk to catch up with him. "You seem different today." He says, glancing at me as we walk.

"I had some deep reflections last night upon my character." I say very seriously. "I've decided that I need to grow a beard." That actually gets a laugh out of him. People turn and look at us like we're weird, laughing like this.

"I'm sorry to inform you that it is probably impossible for you to grow a beard." He says and I smile. "In all seriousness..."

"I am a woman." I say, testing the waters. "I'm not a child...so I'm going to act like a woman so people stop treating me like a child."

"We don't..." He starts but them he stops himself. "I suppose we may have those tendencies...but it's only because we care."

"Exactly...I am a woman, so I need to behave like one and be treated like one." I say and he nods.

"Of course." He says and it's quiet. We walk and I feel the undeniable need to be a goofball.

"Women...can be fun." I say and he looks at me, trying to keep a straight face. "Oh shut up!"

"Is this because you're short?" He asks and I fold my arms across my chest. "Annie, it doesn't matter that you're short."

"I do not have an inferiority complex." I say dejectedly. "It isn't just that...since I've gotten here I've developed the body of a woman. It's about God damn time." I say and he freezes. "Sorry. I really should be talking to Addie about this."

"No, it's fine. You were saying something about a womanly body." He says and I look at him to make sure he isn't just teasing me.

"For once in my life, I'm not being treated like an adult. I look like an adult, so I should be treated like one." I say and his mouth quivers. "Oh what is it now."

"Annie...I regret to inform you that you are barely five feet of fury." He says and I smack his arm.

"Is everything alright?" Addie asks as she walks up, a tall, cinnamon skinned, Adonis in tow. "Oh this is Oliver. Oliver, Anya and Kyoya."

"Pleasure." I say politely. "And everything is fine, Kyoya just thought it would be acceptable to call me barely five feet of fury."

"You are pretty short." Oliver says and I feel my eye twitch. "You're not like a Chihuahua...maybe more like a Pomeranian."

"I should get to class." I say and then walk away, muttering under my breath. Kyoya follows. "I definitely don't like that guy now. I am not a Pomeranian."

"Of course not." Kyoya says, but I can tell he's amused by my reaction. "I haven't found anything on him yet, but I'm still looking."

"Okay, Stalker." I say and he gives me a look. "What? You chipped me. That's stalker-ish."

"Mmm, yes, but you're still wearing it." He says in his silky voice. I roll my eyes and he regards me blankly. "What?"

"Don't use that tone with me…you're attractive, but you don't need it." I say and that sets him back in his place.

"I see you decided to wear stockings today." He says and I glare at him. "What? Is that impolite?"

"Quite." I say, blushing. "You should never comment on a lady's hosiery." I flip my hair over my shoulder and walk ahead of him. We make it to the classroom and take our seats.

"I'm sorry." He says sincerely. "Annie…" I glance at him, quietly forgiving him, before I open my notebook and begin copying down the notes. Addie walks in a little while later, throwing me apologetic looks. I smile at her and she looks relieved.

"Miss Masson, will you please come to the front?" The teacher asks and I stand up and begin to walk, suddenly a delicate foot sticks out and I trip. I land really hard, twisting my ankle in the process. I clutch it to me, trying to assess what's going on. It hurts really bad…but I don't think it's actually broken.

"Anya!" Kyoya says as he jumps up. He's at my side, Tamaki hovering anxiously behind him. "What did you hit?"

"I twisted my ankle." I say calmly. "I'm not sure that I can stand on it." I say, looking up at him. Tears prickle in my eyes.

"Mr. Ohtori, I trust you can help Miss Masson to the infirmary." The teacher says, a little squeamish.

"Of course." He says and then he scoops me into his arms. Most of the girls in the class swoon. He begins walking. "What happened?" He asks in the hallway. "Don't try to tell me that you tripped, because I know you didn't."

"Oh, I did trip." I say, looking away. "Someone may have accidentally stuck their foot out."

"Are you sure it was an accident?" He says and I don't look at him. "Anya. Was it an accident?"

"Probably not." I snap finally. "Happy?" I ask, knowing the answer perfectly well. "I have it handled."

"Apparently not." He snaps and I look at him. "In case you haven't noticed, you're on your way to the infirmary with an injured ankle."

"It's probably fine." I say, moving my ankle a little. "It barely hurts anymore. I'll still be able to dance on Friday."

"If I allow you to go." He says and I make a time out signal with my hands. "Anya, you're in danger."

"Kyoya…they're pampered little heiresses who are jealous because I'm close friends with you guys." I say dryly. "Trust me. There is nothing they can do that will hurt me." We arrive at the infirmary. "Good morning." I say pleasantly to the on-hand doctor. "I fell and twisted my ankle…I think it's fine."

"We'll take a look. If you'll step behind the curtain and remove your stocking." He says respectfully. I look at Kyoya and he gently sets me down on the bed. The doctor carefully removes my shoe before he brings the curtain around and I pull off my stocking. I put the soft blanket over my lap, for modesty's sake.

"Okay." I say and he opens the curtain again. I look at my ankle and don't see any bruising. He feels around my ankle very gently, checking it thoroughly as he is standing next to an Ohtori.

"From what I can tell, it is fine. Would you like to try and walk on it?" He asks and I nod. I take off my other shoe and allow Kyoya to help me down. I take a hesitant step and then another. It barely hurts at all. "How do you feel, Miss Masson?"

"It's fine." I say with a smile. "I think everyone was just a little concerned because I hit the ground pretty hard."

"You're lucky, it could have been a lot more serious. We'll just let you get situated and the two of you can return to class." He says and I smile as he closes the curtain again. I pull my stocking back on and then I pull on my shoes. I wave at the doctor pleasantly as we walk out.

"Kyoya. Do not ever try to pretend like you can 'allow' me to do anything. Not your fucking vase." I say and he looks a little sheepish.

"Fine, I just won't allow you out of my sight." He says and I smirk, walking ahead of him.

"Enjoy the view." I say and we reenter the classroom. I bow as the girls and boys who like me clap and then I gesture to Kyoya. "The hero of the day!"

* * *

"Hikaru…you're insane." I say with a shake of my head. "I mean…yes of course I look beautiful, but I'm afraid…."

"What are you afraid of? Annie, how many times do we have to tell you how beautiful you are before you actually believe us?" He asks, putting his hands on his hips.

"Probably for the rest of our natural lives." I say, turning and smoothing the skirt. "I mean, I do look beautiful…yes…but…"

"You'll knock his socks off. I've made sure of that." He says and I give him a look. "What? You're like a sister to me."

"Aww…" I say, wiping away fake tears. "I love you too, Hikaru. Let's go check on Kao and Addie." We head across the room to where Addie is staring at her reflection, one eyebrow raised in the extreme.

"Why does she get sleeves? Isn't she supposed to be the flirt?" She asks, throwing me under the bus.

"Well yeah, but you're the bad girl. The girl that our mothers warn us about…or so says Renge." Kaoru says with a shrug. "And besides, the sleeves don't show so much…leaving more to the imagination."

"If only she knew her." I say and we all laugh. "We better get out there before Tamaki has a conniption."

"Alright, let's go." Hikaru says, offering his arm to me. I take it and Addie takes Kaoru's. I'm not entirely sure when this all started…it's probably my fault. We enter the ball room relatively unnoticed. There are girls as far as the eye can see and some boys around as well. I spot Kyoya straight away, he hasn't noticed me yet. Oliver comes over and Addie takes his arm with a terse smile. I'll be sure to keep an eye on that situation. Hikaru is suddenly gone and I feel vulnerable. I steel my nerves and walk over to where Kyoya is speaking with Tamaki. The latter notices me first.

"Anya! You look so beautiful!" He exclaims and I smile, blushing a little bit. "Oh you're so cute! I can't wait to introduce you two as parts of the club officially!"

"Yeah, yeah." I say, waving it off. Kyoya turns around and freezes briefly as he sees me. "Hi." I offer lamely.

"Hey." He says as his eyes travel over my form. I'm modestly dressed…just how I like to be. I don't see why I should be…I'm okay with myself. "You look spectacular."

"You don't look so bad yourself." I say and immediately want to run away and hide. Why am I so lame? "So…uh…"

"Why don't you have something to eat?" He suggests and I smile, thankful for his out. "I have to attend to something quickly." He looks reluctant to go.

"Hey, get your host on. That's what we're here for." I say and then walk over to Haruhi who is eating happily. "Hey."

"Hi Anya." She says, smiling with her eyes closed. "You should try some of the tuna! It's delicious!" I laugh as I do just that.

"Hey, it is pretty good. I've never had tuna before." I say and then have a dinner mint. "I like your tuxedo."

"They're just clothes." She says shrugging. "Your dress looks really nice though. The twins said that they had something up their sleeves for you two."

"Yeah…it appears they used all the sleeve on Annie." Addie says as she walks up with Oliver.

"Oh hush. You look beautiful." I say and she smiles. Oliver leans down and kisses the top of her head…it's possessive and I know he's trying to make Takashi angry. "You'll have to dance with me later, darling. Or Haruhi at least."

"I'll save a dance for you, babe." She says, winking at me. "You too." She shoots an air gun at Haruhi then 'blows away the smoke'.

"Excuse me, Anya." A third year student says as he walks up. "Forgive me…my name is Jiro, would you give the honor of having this dance?"

"If you don't mind me stepping on your toes a little." I say, smiling coyly. I can play flirty…thanks to the twins anyway. He offers his hand and I take it, allowing him to lead me out into the mass of twirling bodies.

"You don't give yourself enough credit." He says after a while of us dancing. "I think your dancing is lovely…so you're from France, correct?"

"Yes, I am. The Provence region." I say with a smile. He looks dumbstruck by it. I see Kyoya glaring across the room.

"They make perfume there, right?" He asks and I nod, smiling. "What does your father do?"

"Oh, the better question is what doesn't my father do." I say, laughing. "He is very good friends with both Mr. Ohtori and Headmaster Suoh…and recently he's become close with Mr. Morinozuka."

"A very influential man, then, I assume." He says and I shrug my shoulders, the lace makes them look more delicate.

"I don't know, he's always just been my father to me." I say, being honest. I'd never really thought much about what he did…just what I wanted to do.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Jiro." Takashi says as he stops us. "We need Anya for a hosting matter."

"Of course, Mori." Jiro says and then he bows to me, taking my hand in his and kissing it. "It was lovely dancing with you, Miss Anya." I smile before allowing Takashi to lead me off.

"Let me guess…Kyoya's jealous." I say and he hums. "It's not my fault…I thought I was supposed to do this kind of stuff."

"You are…that doesn't mean he won't get jealous." He says and I laugh. Really, I'm in good humor this evening. We arrive at the staircase where the hosts are congregating and I see Hikaru and Kaoru detaching Oliver from Addie's hip. "Here she is." He says and Kyoya turns around, his eyes are on fire.

"Don't get so bent out of shape." I say lightly and he sniffs before turning back around to sign a paper. "Don't be rude, either. I'm doing that stupid job that your 'ex-fiancé' got me." I say, using air quotes before folding my arms across my chest.

"Renge was never my fiancé." He says, not looking at me. I raise my hand, tempted to hit him, but Takashi firmly places his hand on my shoulder. "If we're all here, we'll get started."

"That's my queue!" Tamaki exclaims as he runs to the top of the stairs. Addie and I follow behind him, arms linked.

"This is going to be one hell of a night." She says dryly and I nod my agreement. We put on smiling faces as we reach the top though.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I would like to formally welcome you to this evening's event! We thought that there would be no better way to introduce our latest additions to the Ouran Host Club than to throw a party! Now, please join me in welcoming the lovely Anya and Adelaide!" Tamaki exclaims lavishly and the entire room erupts into applause. She and I wave, smiling at them. I do my best to look shy and coy and she looks…well like the girl that you don't want to take home to your mother. "Now, let the festivities officially begin!" With that, the orchestra begins playing music again. I look down and see Yuriko glaring up at me. I feel someone put their hand on my waist and jump as I turn around and see Kyoya.

"We really should be hosting…but I wanted to apologize. At the end of the evening…please stay a little later." He asks and I nod. "And…Jiro's father is trying to secure your hand in marriage."

"Ah, that explains the jealousy." I quip before I sashay across the balcony and head down the stairs.

"Annie! Dance with me!" Addie says as she pulls me by the hands out onto the dance floor. It appears that she had Alfred hi-jack the audio system. The orchestra has stopped playing and the beginning of Come on Eileen by Dexy and the Midnight Runners starts to play. We begin doing the dance from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I play Emma Watson's part, because I'm much smaller, and she plays the part of Patrick. The part where she lifts me into the air really shocks people, but then they start clapping as we execute it perfectly. I'm laughing by the time we're finished with the dance. I look around and my eyes meet Oliver's…there's something about the look he has that makes me very uncomfortable. From that point on, the dance turns into something more like out of the movies rather than some stuffy event. Addie and I perform several others dances that we've rehearsed for such occasions.

* * *

"My feet…" I complain, laying on a few chairs that I pushed together. "I haven't danced that much since…I don't think I've ever danced that much in one night."

"Do you have one more dance left?" Kyoya asks as he walks up, that's when I realize that the ball room is empty aside from us.

"Uh…sure." I say as I stand. I walk over to him, and then I realize that I'd left my shoes over there. I turn to get them.

"It's alright…you don't have to wear them." He says and I laugh as I walk back over to him. He nods at someone and a slow song starts playing. He takes my right hand and guides it to his shoulder before he takes my left hand and puts his hand on my waist. I realize that the song is Turning Pages by Sleeping at Last. "This is the first song I heard you sing." He notes as we dance.

"When you were stalking me." I joke lightly and he chuckles. "I wouldn't have been singing if I'd known you were there."

"I'm glad you didn't." He says and I blush and look away. "Anya…please look at me." He pleads and I look up at him. "Why do you always look away from me like that?"

"Because I'm embarrassed." I say, wanting to look away again, but I don't. I stare into those steel-like eyes.

"I don't want you to ever be embarrassed with me." He says and I can't help but chuckle a little. I hide my face by resting my forehead on his chest. "No doubt you will be."

"Without a doubt." I say, a little surprised when he spins me. "Not bad…" I smile as he gently takes me back into his arms. When the song is over we stop and stand there…staring at each other for a while. Part of me wants to just end his anguish and tell him…but the other part of me…the one who craves to have the upper hand always holds me back. "Thank you for the dance."

"It was my pleasure." He says, staring at me. His eyes dart between my own and my lips. They're ruby red to match my nails.

"Uh…we should probably head home." I say and he nods slowly. I head into the back room that the club was using and collect my coat. The silk interior fabric is cold, so I shudder as it settles on my arms. I exit the room, turning the light off behind me and Kyoya and I head to his family's car. We get in and ride in silence.

* * *

"Goodnight, Annie." Kyoya says, laying a kiss on my forehead before he walks away. It's dark, so he doesn't see that I had woken up. I blush and sit up in my bed. I slide off of the bed and my bare feet hit the cold wood floor. I go to the bathroom and start the shower. I make short work of my shower, washing all of the product out of my hair and the makeup from my face. I dress quickly in my favorite pajamas before I crawl back into bed. I find my phone on my nightstand and call Tamaki.

"Anya? What's the matter? Do you know what time it is?" He asks into the phone, sounding concerned.

"I…needed a friend." I say shyly and I hear the sound of ruffling sheets. "I'm sorry for waking you up…"

"It's quite alright…tell me, what's the matter?" He asks again and I sigh. "Anya, you can trust me."

"I know…it's not that it's just…I love him. I love him so much and it hurts me to keep hurting him like this." I say in a rush.

"Then why don't you tell him?" He asks, for once sounding a little wise. I sigh as I lay down.

"Because…that would be too easy and he would be bored." I say and he chuckles. "I need your help. What if…I told him at the end of this year?"

"I think it would have somewhat of your desired effect…and I have a fantastic idea!" He exclaims. "Instead of you just telling him, we'll make an event out of it! Of course, the guests will see how noble the situation is. They're really romantics at heart. We will have all of the hosts ask you for your hand, giving a deep and heart-felt proposal and you will 'decide' then!"

"Tamaki….you sick genius." I whisper, afraid of being too loud. "I love this idea. It's sort of like the Bachelorette."

"Yes." He says and I hear the smile on his voice. "Anya…I am very happy to see you smiling again."

"Me too." I say with a sigh. "Thank you for everything, Tamaki." I hold back the tears. "I'll let you go back to sleep."

"Goodnight, Anya…I promise. Everything will be perfectly fine." He says and then we hang up. I lay down and smile, falling into a blissful sleep.


	8. Gold on the Ceiling, Flour on the Nose

_Hello people! Welcome to chapter eight! I hope that you're enjoying the story so far, I just wanted to say thank you if you are reading it and enjoying it! Even if you aren't enjoying it, just reading it really does help me. That being said, if you have any problems please feel free to let me know! Try to be constructive with your criticism though. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!_

"Anya…I could get it for you." Addie says as I drag a chair up to the counter. "Come on…."

"No! I'll get it myself!" I snap as I kick off my heels stand up on the chair. "I don't know why they would put things this high. It's not like they don't know I'm short." I say as I step up onto the counter.

"Miss Anya, please let one of us help you…" One of the male guests say, sounding very concerned.

"I've got it!" I say pleasantly with a wave over my shoulder. I reach and grab the spice I need. "See? Whoa!" I exclaim as I slip. I brace myself for impact, but it doesn't come. "Thanks Takashi." I say brightly as he gently sets me down.

"Don't do that. You could get hurt." He says before going back over to his table. I put my shoes back on and get back to work baking.

"Miss Anya…you know, I think it's really cute how you dance around when you bake." Another boy says shyly, I think he's a first year student.

"Thanks." I smile brightly. "Ever since I was a little girl I'd always help the chef and we always listened to music together."

"We can play music for you Miss Anya!" A group of them exclaims and I laugh lightly. Addie just shakes her head as she stirs a mixture.

"It's fine, boys, I don't want to disrupt everyone else." I say as I pour my carrot cake batter into muffin cups. A timer goes off and I go over and remove the muffin pan from the oven. "Oh, these turned out really well." I say as I put it onto the cooling unit. I hum, placing the carrot cake ones into the oven and set the timer again.

"Miss Anya…could we help you decorate?" A couple of girls ask shyly as they walk up. I smile brightly.

"I don't need any help today, but tomorrow Kyoya's asked me to make some extra things, so I would really appreciate it then." I say and they smile.

"Alright! We'll help tomorrow!" They exclaim and then run off to tell their friends. I hear Addie call out a heads up and I duck as she pitches something into the trash can. I walk over and check the list.

"We did it, Addie!" I say happily and she nods. She's been sort of out of it today. I've done most of the baking myself.

"Momma! Isn't Annie the cutest?!" Tamaki exclaims as he runs over. He picks me up and swings me around in a big hug. "Don't think we didn't notice you climbing around on the cabinets, you little dare devil."

"You guys didn't have to put stuff all the way on the top shelf." I say dryly and the group of guys laugh…maybe a little too much. I'm pretty funny…but not that funny. I still smile at them brightly.

"You requested that we keep your kitchen well stocked, Anya, so we did. I suspected that you would ask for help." Kyoya says and I sigh as I go over to my strawberry cupcakes and see how cool they are.

"Ah, but when do I ever do as I'm expected?" I say lightly and bring the cupcakes over to the island to begin icing them.

"Alright, gentlemen, I think it's time we allow Miss Anya and Miss Adelaide take a break." Tamaki says as he leads the boys away. Kyoya walks over and grabs my right hand to stop me from icing. I hit the bottom of my right hand, knocking the icing spatula into the air and catch it in my left hand, like you see in action movies when the guy is in a knife fight and the person he's fighting catches his arm or something.

"That was impressive." Addie says as she grabs a bottle of water from the fridge. "I'll be over there…I've got to make a call." She says and she walks away.

"You've been working since you got here. You're overdoing it." Kyoya says gently. "And climbing on the counters? If not for Mori you would have been seriously injured."

"And you would have patched me up." I say with a sweet smile at him. "Because that's what you do."

"I would rather not have to patch you up." He says dryly. I finish the icing and stick them on the cart for Haruhi to deliver to everyone. "Take a break." The timer goes off and I check the carrot cake cupcakes. They're done, so I take them out and set them to cool.

"I don't want to." I say, looking up at him. "If I do take a break, that means that I have to think and thinking isn't what I want to do right now. If I'm baking, I'm concentrating on my hands so that I don't get hurt."

"What are you thinking about?" He asks and I shrug, looking away. I go over and start washing the bowls that I need. My nose itches, so I rub it with my arm. "Annie…you've got…here." He takes a dish towel and gently wipes my nose.

"Flour?" I ask and he nods. I laugh. "I'm a mess." I look down at my apron, thankful that I'm wearing it. "Did I get anything on my dress?"

"Not as far as I can tell." He says, waiting. I set the dishes in the drainer and he opens a drawer and grabs a clean dish towel and begins drying. I blush as images of us as a 'normal' married couple doing dishes together creep into my mind.

"Look! Kyoya is helping! It's so cute!" A few girls squeal as they catch the sight. Kyoya looks over and gives them a fake serene smile. I roll my eyes to myself and wring the rag out and drape it over the middle partition of the different sides of the sink.

"You're good at that." I say softly and he stops for a moment before he continues on. I pull my phone out from the pocket in my dress (I was really excited about them) and begin looking for a recipe.

"What? Drying dishes? Just because I am of a higher social standing than some people, that doesn't mean I don't know how to dry a bowl." He says and I raise my eyebrow at him. "Would you mind showing me how to make something?"

"Okay…we'll do something easy. We can do sugar cookies and then I can have some of the girls help us decorate them with icing." I say with a smile. I grab an apron for him and he puts it on."First, I'll see if you actually know your way around in here." I say as I jot down the list, putting the measurements beside them. "Er...can you read my handwriting?"

"Yes." He says, smirking a little. He picks up the paper and starts collecting the ingredients. I set two bowls on the island, a small one and the one that goes with the standing mixer. I then go over and turn the temperature on the oven down to the appropriate setting. "Now what?" He asks when he's gathered all of the things.

"First put the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in this bowl and whisk them together." I instruct and then stand back to let him do it. He does it carefully and I smile. The girls are starting to notice what's going on. A small audience has formed.

"Is this good?" He asks and I look into the bowl and nod. "Now what do I need to do?" He's noticed too, because he's started speaking Japanese again.

"Alright. Now put the sugar and the butter into in bowl and cream them together." I say and he does that before looking at me, a little uncertain. "Don't show your fear, be one with the mixer." I say and the girls giggle. I smile as I put the bowl in place and lock it in. "This is the on switch." I can't help but be a smart ass.

"Thank you, Anya." He says dryly and I chuckle as I go over and grab a cookie sheet and some cookie cutters. He settles on a safe middle speed. I grab the things I need to make the icing. "Anya?"

"Hmm?" I ask walking over and checking it. "Okay, now put in the egg and the vanilla." I say and he does so. "Once that's good and mixed up, you'll want to put in the dry ingredients. Very carefully, though, unless you want flour all over your face. I usually do it in thirds." I say and leave him to do it.

"Do I leave the mixer running?" He asks and I nod, biting my lip to keep from laughing at how uncertain he looks. "Am I holding it right?"

"Should I do it? It's kind of difficult for lefties." I say in French and he looks a little defeated. "Okay, how are you with your right hand?"

"I'll try it." He says, getting situated. He successfully adds the first third. I don't really pay attention for the last two, because I'm cleaning off part of the counter to roll it out on. "I think it's ready." I walk over and check.

"Very good." I shut off the mixer and raise the arm. "Now, we're going to roll it out." I say as I carry the bowl over to the area I prepared. "Now, it's really sticky. Of course, so what you do is you sprinkle flour over the surface." I say as I do just that. "Then you can put some on your hands…" I work as I speak and grab the dough out of the bowl. "Now, more flour goes onto the rolling pin." I say as I dust it. "You roll it." I say and he rolls up his sleeves to his elbows.

"Here goes nothing." He mutters and he begins rolling out the dough. I stop him when it's nice and rolled out.

"Now we cut out the shapes." I say with a smile. He and I work to cut out the hearts and stars and flowers. "When you run out of space, you just pick it up and roll it out again until you can't get good cookies out of it." I say, doing it myself this time. "If it gets too sticky, you just add more flour. It won't hurt anything." We cut out more shapes and arrange them on the cookie sheet. "Now pop those in the oven for ten minutes." I say and the girls clap as Kyoya does so.

"You're so talented, Anya-senpai! Teaching Kyoya-senpai how to bake like that!" A first year says, blushing so badly I think she might pass out.

"Oh, it's nothing really." I say holding out my hands to sort of push away the compliment. "This is what my chef, Gaston, first taught me to make. He always said, Ma Cher Fille, if you do not know how to make sugar cookies, then you have failed as a pastry chef!" I say dramatically like he always did. "I was always dear girl to him." I explain before going on. "So I guess…I just believe that you should always know how to make a simple sugar cookie, even if you don't make shapes with it."

"Would you say they're your specialty?" A girl asks, genuinely curious. "Have you always wanted to bake?"

"They're not my specialty, I don't really have one." I say and then think. "Have I always wanted to bake? I'm not sure…I always enjoyed watching. I would hide in the kitchen and watch Gaston work and since I was the only foreseeable child for my family for a long time, I was pushed into making decisions. I think I just decided to want to start a bakery because it seemed like the most shocking thing to them."

"Always going for being difficult." Kyoya says and the girls giggle. I turn to him and wipe my hands on his apron.

"You're so useful, Kyoya, thank you." I say shaking my head. "Anyway, it wasn't shocking to my father. He's very supportive and respectful of my choices."

"I think it's so cool….I mean you're sort of like a son." Another girl says shyly and I shrug. "Things must be very different in France."

"Society is society." I say, trying to keep the contempt off of my tone. "However; my parents didn't think that they would be able to have any more children, so my father worked hard to make sure that I would be able to make my way in the world. So I don't think it's France so much as it is Henri. He made the most of having a strong willed daughter." I say as the timer goes off. I go over and pull the cookies out and put them on the cooling unit. "He sees himself in me, even though I'm the spitting image of my mother."

"Your mother must be very beautiful." The first-year girl says and I smile. "I only mean…because you're very pretty Anya-senpai."

"Thank you." I blush a little. "And she is…I don't know how she does it, but her hair is always perfect. It's exasperating."

"My mother is the same way." Another girl says and we laugh together. "It seems like you have a wonderful relationship with your parents."

"Oh yes…and my baby brother. I would do anything for them." I say and they all gush at how sweet or cool that I am, but they don't realize that I mean literally anything. Kyoya looks down at me and I smile, but I know it doesn't reach my eyes.

* * *

"Annie…can I speak with you for a moment?" Tamaki asks, the guests have long since left and I've been hauled up on a couch resting my feet.

"If you come over here to speak with me." I say lazily and he laughs and walks over. "What can I help you with?"

"The guests really seemed to like how you were teaching Kyoya to make those cookies." He says, getting the look on his face like he's going to ask me for a huge favor. "Will you please do a cooking show!" He rushes as I give him a look.

"No." I say flatly and he cries, clinging onto me. "You're hurting me!" I exclaim and he jumps away.

"Hey….no I wasn't!" He exclaims as the realization hits. I know that the strategy won't work again. "Please do a cooking show!"

"No. I don't exactly like being watched when I bake. I wish that the kitchen were closed off, so that people didn't stare." I say, standing up and putting my shoes back on.

"Okay…now I need to talk to you about something else!" He exclaims as he drags me into the other room and closes the door behind him. "Alright, Kyoya is distracted by the budget because I threw him for a loop. We've only got a little while." He barricades the door anyhow. "Okay, so Anya and I have hatched a plan. She is going to tell Kyoya at the end of THIS year." He whispers and we're on the complete other end from the door. "Here's how we'll do it! It will be an event and you men will each propose to Anya however you please and she will 'choose' Kyoya! Of course we'll have to explain her situation, but by that point it will be alright because she will officially be completely under the protection of the Ohtori group."

"I love this idea already." Addie says and I smile. "I knew you wouldn't last…you're too soft. His puppy eyes drew you in."

"Oh can it, Hollywood." I say and we laugh. "So this will take place in the spring…right before graduation, so that Takashi and Honey-senpai can be there." I explain and everyone nods. "Sorry Haruhi…but since it's a club thing, you've got to propose to me too. I'm tempted…" I say and she rolls her eyes.

"I've got to get going. Oliver wants to go on a date." Addie says and she sounds a little irritated. "Sorry guys…Thing 1, Thing 2, unblock the door." She orders and the twins shake their heads as they do as their told. "Good talk, guys." She says and then leaves. We all file out of the room and I fall into the spot where I usually sit.

"Hey." I say to Kyoya and he doesn't even glance at me. His hands are flying across the keyboard at an inhuman rate. "Is everything okay?"

"That idiot almost made us go bankrupt." He grounds out and then sighs as his hands stop. "Lucky for him I fixed it."

"Yeah…I'd hate to see what you'd do to him…" I shudder. "You're really scary. I don't know if I could live the rest of my life with someone so intimidating."

"Annie, you're barely five feet tall. Amusement park ride height measuring boards are intimidating to you." He says and I raise my eyebrow.

"Fuck you, buddy." I say standing up and going across the room. "He pisses me off." I say to the twins and they frown. "Can I have a ride home?"

"Of course, we were getting ready to leave." Hikaru says as he picks up his bag. "If you're ready we can go."

"Oh shit, my bag's over there." I say, daring a glance over. Kyoya is typing again. "Kaoru…"

"I'm on it." He says as he walks over and picks up my school bag. He offers a wave to Kyoya before Hikaru and I meet him at the door and head out. My cell phone rings before we're down the hall.

"Stalker." I mutter as I dig my phone out of my pocket. My assumptions are concerned. "Hikaru and Kaoru are giving me a ride home. You sit there and be a douche bag for a little while longer so I don't have to beat you upside the head with my math book later." I say before I hang up.

"I don't know what you said…but it sounded very grumpy." Kaoru says and I shrug. "What on Earth did he say to you?"

"That amusement park height measuring boards intimidated me." I mutter and they laugh. "It's not funny!" I exclaim, slapping the nearest twin on the arm. "I'm not that short!" I stomp down the stairs with my arms folded across my chest.

"Oh come on, Annie! That was funny!" Hikaru quips as he and his brother run to catch up with me. They each put an arm around me and we walk out to their family's car and get in. "I'll admit though…it's a little harsh considering you weren't mean at all today."

"The only thing I can think of is when I fell…but he did say that Tamaki almost screwed up the club's funds." I note and they shake their heads.

"Well, he distracted him alright." Kaoru says, putting his arm along the back of the seat. "You should silent treat him."

"I was already considering it." I say, chewing on my lower lip. "He really pissed me off. I'm not that short." I mutter and they chuckle. We arrive at the Ohtori mansion and Kaoru gets out to let me out. "Thanks, you guys. I really appreciate it. See you tomorrow." I say with a smile before I head inside.

"Where's my brother?" Akito asks, happening upon the entry way just as I enter. I smile at him.

"Oh, he had some things to finish up at school." I say politely. "How are your classes going?" I ask, isn't that a normal question?

"They're fine, thanks." He says and then he goes to walk off and stops, something catching his eye. "Where did you get those bruises on your arm?"

" These?" I question, gesturing to my forearm and he nods. "I'm not too sure, it's really hard telling with me."

"Okay…" He says and then he walks away. I sigh, that boy is never going to like me. I head up the stairs and go into my room. I immediately change into some of my more comfy jeans and a sweater that hangs off of my shoulders. I go to the bathroom and wash my makeup off, without a glance in the mirror except to get the little bit of eye makeup I'm wearing. I grab my laptop off of my desk and climb into bed to work on my homework.

* * *

The sound of a door slamming jars me from my sleep. My math book falls off of my chest and I blink a few times. My contacts are really uncomfortable…I get up and go to the bathroom to take them off. I put my glasses on and look at myself in the mirror. Even though I've got glasses on that cover them pretty well, I see dark circles. I probably should try to sleep more…I'm starting to look terrible.

"Miss?" Hana asks as she enters my room. I go to the door, looking at her in question. "Mr. Ohtori has asked that you come to his office."

"Thank you, Hana." I say with a smile towards the girl. She bows with a smile before she leaves. I sigh and slide on some black flats before I make my way in that direction. This feels like the one time in school where I thought I was in trouble with the headmaster…When I reach the door I raise my fist and knock a couple of times.

"Enter." Mr. Ohtori's stern voice calls and I open the door and walk in. I see Dr. Honda immediately. "Ah, Anya. Akito was expressing some concern for you, so I have asked Dr. Honda to run some tests on your blood."

"Oh, okay." I say, a little shocked. Dr. Honda gestures to a chair for me to sit on and I do so.

"Please roll up your sleeve." She says, sounding more professional than she normally does. It's probably Mr. Ohtori. I obey and she clean the crease of my elbow with an alcohol bad before she brandishes a needle. I look away from my arm, screwing my eyes shut. "Just relax, I am good at what I do." She says and I offer a terse smile. She feels around and finds a good vein and then she sticks me. I feel the slight pull as she draws the blood and it makes me sick at my stomach. She gets all the blood she needs and then she wraps a bandage around my arm. "There, all finished."

"You're an excellent patient, Anya." Mr. Ohtori says and I smile at his compliment. "You may leave."

"Thank you, sir." I say, bowing respectfully. "And thank you, Dr. Honda." I say before I exit the office. Akito is walking towards where I assume his bedroom is with a snack. "Hey Akito." I say in greeting, maybe he likes me after all and Ohtori men just have a strange way of showing it. Instead of going back to my room, I go to the music room nearby and sit down at the piano. I play around with the keys before I start playing Misguided Ghosts by Paramore…as 'emo' as it sounds of me their songs have always been able to console me. Ironically enough, I've never played this song on the piano. As I sing, I think it sounds pretty good. When I finish I smile to myself. I'm startled as someone claps. I look up and see Mr. Ohtori.

"A long time ago an acquaintance of mine told me that if you ever wanted to truly know a person, you should observe them in the middle of doing something that they are truly passionate about." He says as he walks further into the room. I stand up, nervous. "Were you trained classically?"

"Yes sir, my grandmother insisted upon it." I say politely. "I stray off the path when I'm not playing for her."

"I can see that." He says and I feel embarrassed. "You are very talented…have you ever considered the idea of trying to become famous?"

"No sir." I say, laughing a little. "A friend of mine once told me that you are your own worst critic and well…that is especially true in my case. I don't think that I have that much talent and the public can be very cruel on top of that. Also...it has become somewhat of an emotional release for me."

"You certainly have quite a lot on your plate right now." He says and I try not to look too sad. "Your strength in the face of danger impresses me, Miss Masson, and I would be honored if you were to choose my son."

"Your son is becoming a fantastic man." I say, not wanting to let him know because if he did, it'd be all over the world by the time I finished the sentence. "I am considering both options with the utmost diligence and I will attempt to come to a decision as soon as I can." Be respectful, Anya. "I want to thank you for all the kindness that you have shown me. Not many men would take it upon themselves to shelter another man's daughter from some crazy person." He actually laughs.

"It has been a unique experience." He admits. "Please do not take what I said as impatience. My wife tells me that he has developed strong feelings for you."

"I know…" I say, blushing a little bit. "I am considering every aspect of the choices at hand."

"You're a bright girl, and either way you decide, I am certain you will make the correct choice." He says. "Good night, Anya."

"Mr. Ohtori." I say bowing again before he walks out. I sigh as I sit back down on the piano bench. "I need another nap." I mutter to myself before I stand again and head back towards my room. I stop as I see Kyoya standing at my door.

"Annie…please…" He says in French, leaning his head against the door. I tiptoe over. "I didn't mean what I said…I was tired and Tamaki…and please…open the door."

"Okay." I say, reaching around him and twisting the nob. He stumbles forward and then looks at me, embarrassed. I smile and laugh. "Holy shit." I say with an awkward laugh dragging him into the room. "Your dad just heard me play the piano and he said that I was good."

"Well you are…wait, what did you do to your arm?" He asks, brushing his fingers over the bandage.

"Dr. Honda drew some blood. It's fine…oh, I'm still mad at you." I say, a pout forming on my lips.

"I know." He sighs. "How long were you stalking behind me?" He asks and I put my hands on my hips. "Oh come on, that was seriously worse than anything I've ever done."

"Except you know…this is my room and I was coming back here to take a nap. You had no reason to be here." I say, the sass coming out.

"Yes I did, I was trying to apologize." He challenges and I go over to my bed, rolling my eyes as I lean over it and pull my guitar out from underneath. "Are you going to play?"

"Yes, to reduce my stress." I say as I flip open the case on my bed. "You're going to have to do quite a bit to apologize. You really pissed me off."

"I know. You've never left before…and you've also never called me a douche bag." He says and my lip quivers with the laugh I want to let out. "I was mad too."

"What reason do you possibly have to be mad?" I ask, raising my eyebrow. I look down and begin tuning my guitar.

"That's why I wanted to apologize…and don't get used to this, because well…you were irrational too." He says and I glare at him. "I may have been out of line, but you also overreacted a bit. What I said wasn't too bad."

"Hikaru laughed at me." I say, finishing up tuning. I strum a couple of times. "Hmm…I know what your punishment is." I say and then I begin playing Gold on the Ceiling by The Black Keys, I don't sing though. I finish and he looks confused. "I'm not going to sing for you until I have forgiven you."

"Vengeful little thing, aren't you." He says dryly. "What makes you think that is a punishment?"

"The way your pupils dilated and how disappointed you looked when I was playing." I say simply. "This will be fun. I should start bringing my guitar to school. Then again, I never have any free time. What's with that list by the way?"

"I'm trying to make you quit the club." He says honestly. "Give you an out so that I can stop watching those pathetic boys throw themselves at you."

"Says the man dripping with girls chasing after you." I say, raising my eyebrows. "You've got to stop being so jealous. Apparently, I'm an attractive girl…and apparently I'm a flirt. Who knew? Certainly not me."

"You're jealous too." He says and I shrug. "Anya…how do you feel about me?" He asks and I start playing again, this time it's something that I wrote, but again I don't sing.

"I'm not jealous." I say when I finish. "It's just annoying and detrimental to my health. What if I were to choose you? They'll lynch me."

"Of course they wouldn't." He says and I look at him dubiously. "I thought that you said that it was better."

"And I thought that you said you wouldn't take your eyes off of me." I counter and then put my guitar away. "Let's face it…as long as I am close with you boys, those girls will think that I am taking you guys away from them. I'm an easy target because I'm so small and Addie is famous…I'm just…me."

"You couldn't be more wrong." He says, shaking his head. "Adelaide may be famous, but there are many of the ladies who visit the club who are very fond of you. To some of the younger girls, you're somewhat of a role model. Almost all of the boys drop to your feet as you walk down the hallway."

"Seriously? I can't imagine why." I say as I latch the case and put it back under my bed. "I guess that's kind of nice, though."

"You really don't see yourself very clearly, do you?" He says and I shrug. "Come here for a moment." He says, holding his hand out to me. I take it and he drags me over to the full length mirror. "Tell me what you don't like about yourself."

"Seriously?" I look at him in the mirror. He nods. "This is crazy…" I sigh and he smiles a little. "Obviously, I hate my height. It makes me look like I'm a little girl." I say, scrunching my eyebrows at my reflection. "My hair…it's unruly." I touch the soft tresses. "The bags and dark circles under my eyes could do to leave and I hate that I have to wear glasses sometimes." I turn to the side, like I normally do, trying to get a three-hundred and sixty degree view of my body. "My body itself is fine enough…I guess. I've never had any problems with it."

"You're working ahead." He chuckles. "Tell me what you like about what you see and why you like it." He says, turning me to face front.

"My cheekbones…they're very high which kind of makes me look womanly." I say, touching my face.

"What else?" He urges and I look in the mirror again…at the two of us. He's standing behind me, but of course I can see him. I turn around.

"Kyoya…this is stupid." I say, not really wanting to talk about my body. "Can't we have an intellectual conversation? I'd be much more comfortable." He turns me around by my shoulders.

"You say it all the time, we could end up married, and so we must be comfortable with one another." He says and I sigh.

"My legs, because they're strong…and the twins always tell me that if I were taller, my legs would be perfect for modeling." I say and he shakes his head a little, amused but not laughing. "My hips…and I'm embarrassed by the reason I like them so moving on…" I say but he gestures for me to hold on.

"Tell me why you like your hips." He says, sounding odd. I hide my face and he takes my hands. "Annie."

"Because, old ladies always tell me they're good childbearing hips." I say in a rush. He looks confused.

"What was the part before hips?" He asks, and I try to cover my face again. "Annie…trust me."

"Babies." I say and his eyes widen briefly. "Old ladies tell me that they are good for having babies. I want to be a mother…like my mother…and so I like my hips because people have told me that it's something I'll be good at. Also, they make me more womanly."

"That makes sense." He says with a nod. "Is that all?" He asks and I look at my reflection again.

"My neck." I say and then blush. "I never noticed it until Hikaru said something…but it makes me look dainty in a sophisticated kind of way." I reach over to the table by the mirror and grab the hair tie I keep there and pull my hair into a bun. "I think I'm obsessed with the idea of looking like a woman because I was treated like a son until my brother was born."

"It doesn't matter why." He says and I look up at him. "What you dislike about yourself and what you like about yourself doesn't make a difference to me."

"Kyo…" I say and he holds up his hand to stop me. I don't think I can handle all of this…

"Annie…it doesn't matter to me that you think your hair is unruly or you have dark circles under your eyes or even that you're almost a foot shorter than me. You challenge me in ways that I didn't think were possibly…you…make things better." He says and I flush. "I can't help but think that if you choose me…I'll be the luckiest man alive." A tear sneaks its way past my eye. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't push you like that." He looks away. I turn around and hug him, burying my face in his chest, ignoring the fact that my glasses will probably be smudged to hell.

"I want you to push me…" I say and he brings his arms around me slowly. "I want you to challenge me. I want you to help me grow." His arms rest comfortably around me. How am I supposed to wait for Spring?

"Okay..." He says softly and I smile. "Annie?" He asks and I hum. "Am I forgiven?" I take a step back and tap my chin in thought as I look up at him.

"I'm gonna say no." I say with a smirk before I walk over and open the door. "Good night, Kyoya. Go to sleep." I order and he sulks out of my room. That's more like it...


	9. La Colombe et Le Faucon

_Hey everyone! I must start off this intro on a very serious note. **I am placing a trigger warning in this chapter.**__I tried to do it as briefly and as delicately as possible. **But if sexual assault, or even an attempt at it is a trigger for you PLEASE HEED MY WARNING!** I felt a little uncomfortable with it, so I may be overreacting a little bit, but I just want to keep you guys safe. Other than that I think that this is a pretty good chapter. It's pretty serious but also funny at some points. Anyway, I guess that's it! Enjoy and please keep in mind that it has a trigger warning. **It is right after the first line break!**_

I walk down the hall in my own world...in a state of bliss. This has probably been the best week I've have since coming here. I haven't fought with Kyoya once and things have been going smoothly during club hours. The constant nagging of Yuriko and her dainty posse of lackeys isn't even enough to bring me down.

"He can't even speak Japanese." I hear a boy laugh. I glance over and see Oliver...he looks pleasant as always. "He must be pretty stupid."

"Is there a problem, boys?" I ask as I walk up. I feel a certain obligation as someone who deals with assholes as well.

"Oh! No Miss Anya, we were just going." The taller of the two says and I smile brightly at them.

"Good, for a second I thought you were bothering my friend Oliver. That would have made me very upset." I say and they scurry off. "You okay?"

"Yeah...I have no clue what those guys were saying, but it didn't sound too nice." He says and then he pulls out his school map. "Hey, do you know where I can find classroom...uh...313?"

"Sure, I'm headed that direction anyway, so I can walk you." I say and we begin walking. I've had minimal contact with him since he started school here, but he's always been nice...if only a little blunt and dense. "How are you liking Japan?"

"It sure is different. I joined the kendo squad." He says and I glance at him dubiously. "Or club! It's a club."

"Is Takashi teaching you?" I ask and he shakes his head. "It must be Ichiru then, he's Takashi's right hand man in kendo." We climb the stairs and I switch my bag to my other shoulder.

"I can carry that for you, since you're helping me it's only fair." He says and I willingly hand it over.

"Thanks, I brought some cook books to keep in the club room and they're really weighing it down." I say as I rub my shoulder.

"No problem, but yeah, kendo is going really well." He says with a nod. "Adelaide promised she'd come to my first competition...that is if I'm up to par in time."

"I'm sure you'll get there." I say with a smile. "Well, here is 313. Have a good time in class." I take my bag from him.

"Thank you for showing me the way, Anya." He says and I wave before I start walking towards my own classroom. I wonder how often people are bothering him...I should try to keep an eye on him. I clearly have influence, as those guys were third years like Oliver. I make my way into my own classroom and take my seat.

"Good afternoon, Kairi." I say pleasantly. "That homework was killer." I note and she glances over and offers me a small smile. Peaceful...that's the best way to describe things right now.

* * *

(**WARNING! If (attempted) sexual assault is a trigger for you, scroll down until you reach the next bolded part!)**

"Hey! Anya, can I talk to you for a minute?" Oliver says as he runs to catch up with me in the hallway.

"What's up?" I ask, turning around. "Those guys aren't bothering you again, are they?" I ask, glancing around.

"No, I was just going to see if you had time to help me find a book in the library. Adelaide's too busy with something..." He says, and I check my phone.

"I don't see why not, I've got a little time before I have to be in the club room." I say and we walk towards the libraries together. "Which one is it in?"

"The third one." He says and we go there. "The book is called, How to Start a Garden...but I've had a heck of a time trying to figure out the system they have. I want to start growing flowers for Adelaide."

"That's sweet." I say with a smile as I go to the computer used to locate books. I find the number and area it's in and smile at him again. "You're in luck, it's in. This way." I say as I lead the way through the stacks. The book is located in a cave of an area and I crouch down to grab it. "Here it..." I don't get to finish speaking as I stand because I'm shoved against the wall. "Oliver...what are you doing?" I ask, not showing my fear.

"Oh Annie..." He says, smelling my hair. I push against his chest to try and make him move, but he grabs both of my hands in one and holds them above my head.

"Oliver. Let me go." I demand and then he's kissing me. The hand that isn't restraining me travels down my body. I try to kick, but he pushes forward, holding me in place with his body. I turn my head away but he just kisses my neck. "No!" I cry, struggling with all that I am. He unbuttons my blazer. "Stop!" I can't get free. "Help!" I scream, but his lips crash down on mine again.

"I've seen the way you look at me." He says, staring at me hungrily. I begin fighting harder, there is no way that this can happen.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Someone yells angrily. Suddenly a boy with red hair drags Oliver off of me and decks him in the face. I slide down the wall, a sobbing mess, and hold my shirt closed. "Uh, hey it's okay." My savior says as he crouches down beside me. "Is your shirt ripped?" He asks, his tone is still rough but I can tell that he isn't bad. "Here." He takes off his blazer and drapes it around me. "Come with me, we're going to get security. Haji,make sure this creep doesn't get away."

**(It's safe now!)**

"Sure thing, Kasanoda." The other man says and my savior, Kasanoda helps me to my feet and puts an arm around my shoulders to help keep me concealed.

"You're Mori-senpai's friend, right? Uh...Anya-senpai?" He asks and I nod. We make our way to the headmaster's office. "Don't worry, it isn't your fault." We go in and Headmaster Suoh glances up with a neutral expression before it turns grave.

"What is the matter?" He asks and I burst into tears again. "Kasanoda, do you know?" He turns to him.

"I found that new American boy, Oliver or whatever, trying to assault her." He says gravely and the older man is immediately on the phone. "In the third library in the gardening section."

"Thank you, Kasanoda. You certainly are a hero today." He says and then the secretary comes in. "Anya, please go with Mrs. Yao, she will help you find some clothes."

"I have some." I croak and the kind lady leads me away to a room where I can change. She instructs me to just leave my uniform. I'm taken back into the headmaster's office, barefoot because I don't feel like wearing shoes right now, they hardly can argue. The head of security questions me.

"Anya, would you like to go back to the Ohtori place?" Tamaki's father asks and I shake my head.

"Actually, I would just like to go and participate in my club activities." I say shakily and he nods.

"Alright, your attacker is no longer on the premises and he will not be returning." He says, his voice both soft and harsh at the same time. I nod and leave, taking my school bag with me. I walk to the club room, holding my shoes in my hand. I arrive and I can tell instantly that something is off.

"What's going on?" I ask and they look at me, something odd in their eyes. "Where are Addie and Kyoya?"

"They went home. They caught you and Oliver." Hikaru says, disapproval heavy on his tone. My heart shatters.

"They caught Oliver trying to sexually assault me and they left to let it happen." I say darkly and the atmosphere shifts on a dime. Hikaru looks like he's going to be sick. "Thankfully Ritsu Kasanoda is smart enough to realize when someone is being attacked." I say, trying to choke back the unwelcomed sob at the end of my sentence. I turn and run then. Someone is chasing me, and judging by how quickly I'm caught, it's Takashi. I completely break down. "I feel his hands all over me." I sob.

"Annie, I can't understand you." He says and I just cry harder. He holds me protectively against him. "Everyone is worried."

"They were quick to believe that I would do that." I say, bitterness allowing me to monitor my language. "Kyoya thinks that I..." I sob again. "I need to go home."

"I'll take you." He says and he sets me down. I put on my shoes and we walk out together. I sit quietly across from him, trying to physically hold myself together. Takashi doesn't pry, which is something I appreciate. It doesn't take long for his driver to reach the Ohtori mansion. Takashi walks me to the door and pats me on the head before I go inside. I go straight to Kyoya's door and knock. He opens it and glares down at me.

"What are you crying for." He says bitterly and I look up at him, trying to not be angry. "Adelaide and I are the ones who were fooled."

"He was trying to assault me." I say slowly. "You saw and you walked away." My emotion gets the best of me and I sob. "You left me alone! You promised! You said you would protect me!" I shout. "He was attacking me and you ran away! You coward!" I run the few feet to my door and run in. I turn the lock and grab a bag. I shove some clothes it, unthinking of what I grab. I put on my sneakers and a jacket, as it is raining now. Kyoya is banging on the door. My breathing is picking up. I open the window and jump into the tree that has grown close enough. I climb down and just start running. I run and cry and it is pitiful. I eventually come upon a bus shelter. I may as well figure out where I'm going to go. I sit down in the bench, soaked to the bone. My breathing is ragged, but I probably haven't gotten too far. They've probably discovered that I'm gone by now. I can't go back there now. My heart rate is pounding against my entire body, fighting to keep me oxygenated. I feel the phantom hands crawling across my skin.

"Anya?" A familiar voice asks and I look up and see Haruhi, still in her uniform with an umbrella. She enters the shelter. "What are you doing here? Mori-senpai said he was taking you home."

"I ran away." I sob and she looks very grim. "Please don't tell him where I am." I cry, shaking my head. "I don't know where I'll go but I can't go back there."

"Will you stay at my house?" She asks suddenly. "It isn't very big, but I have an extra futon that you could sleep on and I can dry your clothes for you. Please...I don't want to leave you here like this."

"Okay." I say and stand up. "Am I close to your house?" I ask, looking at my surroundings. I hadn't noticed it get urban.

"Yes, it's very close by." She says as she holds out her hand to me. We huddle under her umbrella and make it to her family's apartment. We enter and I stand in the doorway.

"The bathroom is through here." She says and I take my shoes off and hurry so that I don't drip too badly in the floor. "You can take a bath if you would like. I can get you some pajamas to wear if you don't mind. Please, just help yourself."

"Thank you." I say as I close the door to the bathroom. I take off my wet clothes just as Haruhi knocks.

"I have the pajamas." She says and I open the door and stick my arm out. I take the clothes as she presses them into my hand. "And you wet clothes?" I hand them to her and she closes the door gently. I run the water and get in. I rub my skin raw as I try to erase the feeling of his hands. I wash my hair and get out. I dry off and dress in the pajamas, very mechanically. They're a little long, so I roll them up and exit the bathroom after tidying up a little. "Dad...I'm having a friend stay over." She says quietly. "She...needs another girl right now I think." She listens. "I can't talk about it right now...okay, be safe." She hangs up.

"Thank you, Haruhi." I say, my voice sounding dead to me. "I'm sorry to impose like this..."

"Nonsense." She says, smiling. "I took the liberty of washing the clothes in your bag as well. I hope you don't mind. I'm about to start dinner now."

"Thank you." I say again and she purses her lips. She goes and transfers the clothes from the washer into the dryer.

"You can sit at the table and I'll bring the food over when it's done. Do you want any tea?" She asks and I smile a little.

"Yes please." I say, moving to sit at the table. Haruhi moves through the kitchen confidently, getting the things that she needs. Suddenly, her cell phone rings. My heart stops. She brings me the tea before she answers.

"Hello? Senpai, stop screaming in my ear." She says harshly. "Repeat your question calmly this time." She's talking to Tamaki. "She is here, but she does not want to see him. Frankly I don't blame her." Her tone is still harsh. "She is safe. Tell him..." She glances at me before she goes across the room to continue cooking. "Tell him not to come here." She listens for a moment. "I'm sure. Senpai, the last thing she needs right now is to be surrounded by men." She listens again. "I'll ask her." She comes back over. "Would you be willing to speak with Tamaki-senpai?" I nod. "Okay...here she is." She hands over the red phone.

"Hello?" I ask quietly. For a moment I'm afraid that Tamaki tricked Haruhi...but I don't think that he would do that.

"Anya...We all feel like such fools." Tamaki says in French, he sounds absolutely horrible. "We are very worried about you...uh He was able to get the door open as you jumped from your window."

"I am fine." I say, my tone formal. "I am staying with Haruhi. I may consider asking my father to purchase an estate here for me to stay in until I am able to leave."

"Annie, no." Tamaki says and I bite back the sob that threatens to escape. "Please, we will move you back in with me."

"And have him come groveling to me every single day? I think not. It is not you, Tamaki, but in my own home I have the capability of banning someone from my residence. If I am not trusted by him, then there is no point in pretending that my relationship with him is okay. I know that I am on speaker phone and that he is listening." I say and Haruhi looks angry. "You, Kyoya Ohtori are nothing but a fool and a coward." I say, not allowing him the intimacy of me speaking in French. "I will not be returning to the host club. If opinions are so easily swayed, it is in my best interest to avoid it."

"Annie, I never once thought that you..." Tamaki starts and I laugh, a little hysterical. "Annie?"

"I believe you, Tamaki." I say, wiping away tears. "I will see you at school tomorrow. If my father calls...please have him call this number, I left my phone at that place." I hang up and place my face in my hands. Haruhi drops to her knees beside me and puts her arms around me,

"I never believed it." She says, her normally neutral tone filled with emotion. "Mori-senpai and I tried to make them see sense...and Adelaide-senpai said she didn't believe it, but..."

"You have been so kind to me." I sob, trying to get a hold of myself. "I just...why didn't he believe in me?"

"I don't know..." She says, stroking my hair comfortingly. It seems odd…but I know that Haruhi truly does care for her friends…and I guess that I am really one of them. "Dinner is almost ready...and I'm sorry. I didn't think that he would do something like that."

"It isn't your fault." I say softly. She stands and goes over and prepares our plates. "This looks delicious." I try for a smile.

"It should help to warm you up." She says with a small smile in return. We eat in a comfortable silence. "Luckily you grabbed your other uniform..." She notes as the dryer buzzes.

"I didn't notice." I say with a giggle. "I didn't know where I was going and I just grabbed random things." The door opens and Haruhi's father enters in full drag.

"It certainly is rainy out there!" He announces and that makes me giggle again. "Well hello there, I don't think I've met you before." I stand up and bow.

"Hello, my name is Anya Masson." I say, being respectful. I am staying in this person's home after all.

"Nice to meet you, Anya. Call me Ranka." He says as he goes over and grabs a plate. He sits down with Haruhi and I. "Haruhi didn't tell me that she was such good friends with such a pretty girl. I wish she would grow her hair out like yours." He says in melancholy. "I won't ask too many questions, dear, but you are welcome in our home for as long as you need."

"Thank you, Ranka." I say, and we return to our meals. I had known that Haruhi's father cross dressed, but I didn't think he'd be this good.

"So, what little I do know is that you are from France! Is that true?" He asks and I smile and nod. "Oh what it must be like there!"

"I'm from the region where they make perfume, so there are flowers everywhere." I say and he looks star struck.

"Haruhi! Promise Daddy that we'll go together someday on a fabulous father-daughter vacation!" He exclaims, sounding exactly like Tamaki and this causes me to giggle again. "I have an idea! After dinner, we'll all put on face masks together!"

"Just this once, if that is what Anya-senpai wants to do." Haruhi says, giving her father a dark look.

"That actually sounds kind of perfect." I say shyly and Ranka begins going on about how cute I am.

* * *

"Senpai...are you sure you feel alright?" Haruhi asks as we walk through the gates to the school. I give her a thumbs up.

"The sniffles are nothing." I say with a smile. I'm not okay...but I feel better. I just have to focus on the positive. I was rescued before it went too far. I have Haruhi who I can rely on. I stop short as I see Addie. She takes one look at me before she drops her books and runs over. I half expect her to slap me, but she just throws her arms around me.

"I'm so sorry." She says into my neck. Her voice is shaking. "I could kill him." I bring my arms around her, and know that she and I are okay. "I just..."

"Hey...it's okay. I understand how it looked." I say softly. "Ritsu Kasanoda saved me." I smile. "Thank goodness for the gardening club."

"I could kiss that boy." She says and I laugh. "Are you okay? You look flushed." I bat her worried hands away from my face.

"I'm fine, I just had an invigorating walk with Haruhi." I say and she looks doubtful. "Let's get to class...I'll see you at lunch, Haruhi." I say and she smiles. We head off in our separate directions. Takashi and Honey-senpai make a b-line for us as they catch sight. "Good morning!" I call with a wave.

"Annie-chan..." Honey-senpai says and I smile down at him. "You don't feel well." I shrug.

"I have the sniffles. Haruhi taught me the word for it this morning." I say with a laugh. "I'm fine." I say and then we're on the stairs. I hold on to the banister, relying heavily on it. "I promise...I'm..." I sway at the top and fall backwards. Takashi catches me. Several people gasp and cry out.

"The infirmary!" Addie cries, running alongside him as he darts down the hall. The nurse lets out a startled cry when we burst in. "She collapsed." How we must look...me hanging limply in this giant's arms.

"Over here." The nurse says, preparing a chart. "Has she eaten? Or has she been showing signs of...er starving herself?" Takashi lays me down on the bed.

"No, she has a fever." He says simply and the nurse goes and gets the doctor. He examines me.

"Miss Masson, with a fever this high I'm afraid that I have to send you home." He says and I look up at him. "Do you understand?" I nod. "I will call the Headmaster and see what he recommends, as I know your situation is unique." He walks away.

"You shouldn't have ran like that." Takashi chides and I blink at him. "I would have come and picked you up."

"I wasn't thinking...and Haruhi found me at a bus stop near her house." I say and he hums. "I just ran...after jumping out my window." I laugh, because it is funny. Since coming to Japan I have become more athletic...due to the training I've received from my tall friend. "I just jumped and I was able to rely on myself."

"You probably still shouldn't have run off like that..." Addie says and I shrug. Suddenly I am very hot so I sit up and take off my blazer. The white shirt underneath is short sleeved, unfortunately.

"I'm still glad I could rely on me." I say, kicking off my converse and covering up. Being hot and cold is confusing.

"Good." Addie says, pushing my hair off of my forehead. "But sweetie, you're kind of garbling between English and French."

"Sorry." I say and she shakes her head. "Being...multilingual is a bitch sometimes." She smiles sadly. "Don't be sad Addie." I beg. "Takashi and I love you very much." I reach for her hand and she takes it.

"I know sweetie...rest." She orders and I giggle as I force my eyes closed. It isn't so hard though, because my eyes weigh a million pounds. "No." Addie's voice jars me. "You leave, I tried to tell you. You did this."

"Adelaide..." Takashi says, gazing at my wide eyes. "Why don't you ask Annie?" She turns to me, they're blocking my line of sight.

"Kyoya is here...we will make him leave if you don't want to see him." She says and I shake my head. "You're lucky." She turns to him. "We will be right outside." They are replaced by Kyoya in my line of sight. He falls into the chair, looking pretty rough himself. His hair is disheveled and he has dark circles under his eyes. I see a light bruise on his left cheek.

"Annie..." He sounds worse than he looks. He catches sight of my bruised wrists and winces. I start to bring them under the covers, but he gently stops me. They're a horrid shade of purple. "You fought back."

"Of course I fucking fought back. I'm the ruler of my own body." I say, but it comes out as I am the queen of my own body.

"I am an idiot." He says, laying his forehead down on the bed. I turn on my side and look at him, waiting for him to look up. He needs to get out what he wants to say. "I am such a moron...I don't deserve you after what I did."

"You are a moron." I say, using my other hand to try and lift his head. I'm weak, so it doesn't work until he helps. "You are a moron who needs to learn how to trust me as faithfully as I trust you. You are blinded by jealousy and you're so selfish with how you feel. You try to treat me as a thing that is yours. I am not yours. I am mine. Even if I choose you, I will be mine. Do you understand?"

"Yes." He says and I wonder if he means what I said or the actual content. "You are unlike any other woman I have met before." I shrug and he cracks a small smile. "Please come home."

"That is not my home." I say and he looks defeated. "My home is here." I say as I put a hand on my heart. "So much has been taken from me. My family, my security, the faith you had in me, and almost my honor."

"I have faith in you...it's just that I never know if you're going to pick me or...break my heart." He says defensively.

"So it is okay to break mine if it means that you are protected?" I ask and his eyes widen. "I will come back to the Ohtori Estate, but things between you and I need to change. Here in Japan I am to serve my family. By being here, they are protected. By making whatever decision I make, they will be protected. While I do serve my family, I also must serve myself. It kills me to see you like this..." I take in a shaky breath. "You must trust that I will make the decision that is best for my family."

"I didn't expect to feel this way." He says, gently running his fingers across my wrist. "You're an extraordinary woman."

"I challenge you and it pisses you off." I say and the brief smile returns. "They're tender." I draw my hand back a little. "I have something for you...it's in my school bag."

"Do you want me to get it?" He asks and I nod once. He hesitantly opens my bag and grabs the little box with the little bow on it. "This?" I nod again. He opens it and looks down at the watch.

"I got it for your birthday. It's early by a month isn't it? But I think you need it now." I say and he takes it out. "I had it engraved...but I can't remember what it says right now."

"It says, 'Don't be late'...in French." He says, looking amused. "Late for what?" He asks and I shrug. "It's perfect. Why don't you take my old one then? Think of it as...a class ring of sorts."

"Why would I wear your class ring?" I ask, not protesting as he takes off his old watch and puts it gently on my right wrist. "You remembered." I laugh, letting my head fall back.

"Of course, I'm the same." He says as he puts my gift on his wrist. "That watch was my grandfather's he gave it to me before he passed away. Akito was always angry because I was his favorite grandson."

"Kyo, no..." I say, trying to take the watch off. "I can't take your grandpa's watch, there is too much history here. It's yours." He stops me.

"Okay, then wear it for me while I make a new history for this watch." He says and I lay back again. "Rest, Annie."

"Only because I can't keep my eyes open anymore." I say and he chuckles, holding onto my hand.

"What should I not be late for...before you fall asleep." He says and I crack one of my eyes open.

"My wedding. Whichever way it goes." I say before I close it again. I try to move, but my body is done listening.

"I won't." He promises before he kisses my hand. "I promise...and I am so sorry." And then I fall asleep.

* * *

"Welcome back, Anya!" Everyone, the guests included, exclaim as I walk into music room three.

"Oh now, I'm embarrassed." I say, blushing as I accept the large bouquet of flowers from Tamaki. "Thank you."

"My dear, we missed you very much! It's been such a long week without your sweets!" Tamaki exclaims and I laugh, shaking my head.

"You guys were just trying to butter me up." I walk towards the back room and lay the flowers down on a table. I stretch before I go behind the changing curtain and put on jeans and one of my favorite shirts before I pull on my converse and head into the kitchen. I'm on my own today because Addie needed to take some time. I understand...her boyfriend, now ex-boyfriend, of four years has turned out to be a total creep. Upon digging, we were able to find that there had been previous allegations...but they were dropped. The school knows of the attack, but not that it was me. I put up a nice front.

"Annie? Where did you get that watch?" Tamaki asks as he walks over. I look at the watch and shrug.

"My first day of not being a loon I noticed it...I have no idea where it came from." I admit as I look at it. "Honestly…the only things I remember from the past week is what I've been told…some things I'm not sure if they're true. This…while I don't remember it, I think it feels right."

"As long as you're comfortable." He says and I can tell that there is something else. I look at him, my gaze baring down on him, urging him to tell me. "Oh…he's going to kill me for telling you…but…" He pulls me to the far side of the kitchen gently. "That is Kyoya's watch…he gave it to you when you gave him the watch he's wearing now."

"Why would he give me his watch? And why would he be upset with you for telling me?" I ask, a deep frown creasing my brow..

"He didn't want to upset you since you are just coming back. He has been very different lately." He says and I purse my lips.

"Okay…I think I'm just going to make some cookies today if that's alright." I say as I look at the list.

"Whatever you're comfortable with." He insists, hugging me briefly before he goes away. I get to work on making some sugar cookies, nothing special, just the round kind. I set the timer on my phone and go over to where Kyoya is sitting by himself on his laptop.

"Hey." I say, sitting down. "So…I don't know why I'm thinking of this now…but why am I the Dove? Who gave me that name?"

"I'm sorry, but what name do you want to know?" He asks and I smile, he wouldn't know the French word.

"Dove." I say in Japanese for him. "It is 'dove' in French." I say, going back into my native tongue.

"Oh…I didn't think you noticed them calling you that." Kyoya says as he sits up, setting his laptop aside. He's been very attentive as of late. "First off…I kind of picked it out. I'd seen your picture and you sort of reminded me of one…but of course you know how I am with research and it turns out that doves are a symbol of self-sacrifice, love and peace. As I get to know you, the name only seems appropriate."

"What are you? And do you think that it suits you?" I ask and he smirks a little bit. "Don't give me that."

"I am the Falcon." He says, in Japanese, as again he probably doesn't know the word. "As far as if it suits me, I want you to decide that. The falcon is known as a symbol of power, aspiration, and determination." He says and I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Of course it suits you. Did you really need for me to tell you that?" I shake my head. "And it is 'falcon'."

"Thank you." He says, chuckling. "The dove and the falcon…well as long as it suits us. Why are you so keen on correcting me when I get something wrong?"

"Is it a problem?" I ask, genuinely concerned. "I just…if someone tries to speak to me French and they make a mistake, I think it is nice to help them learn by correcting their error."

"I see, that makes sense." He says and the timer goes off. "Do you need any help? I know that Adelaide isn't here today."

"Only if you want to." I say as I stand up. He follows and we walk over to the kitchen. I remove the sugar cookies from the oven and sprinkle some sugar over the top of them before I put them on the cooling unit. "How would you like to learn how to make snickerdoodles? Addie introduced them to me and I fell in love."

"If you'll teach me, I would love to learn." He says and I smile. "Do you need help taking off your watch?"

"You mean your watch?" I ask as I shake my head, taking the watch off. I set it in the safe place where I usually keep my rings and push up my sleeves. The bruises have faded, but they're not unnoticeable. "I'm fine."

"I thought that you didn't know." He says, looking over at Tamaki, murder in his steel colored eyes.

"I asked." I say, writing down what I need. "I'm feeling lazy, please gather the ingredients and the other stuff too."

"Your wish is my command." He says dryly. He gathers the stuff and sets it out in front of me very neatly.

"You're a touch anal retentive aren't you?" I ask and he gives me a look. "I'm surprised no one calls you that. Or obsessive compulsive. I mean…they've seen your room. Talk about meticulous."

"We can't all be free-spirited musicians, Annie." He says with a slight smirk. "Honestly…being in your room drives me crazy sometimes."

"For what reasons?" I ask, trying to sound innocent as I start measuring stuff out in the different cups. I don't add anything into the bowls yet.

"Definitely your organizational tendencies. The music sheets spread out across your desk and the pens and pencils everywhere will do me in one of these days." He says and I smirk at him.

"Alright, first we are going to cream together the butter, shortening, sugar, eggs, and the vanilla." I say and he does so. He successfully locks the bowl into place on the kitchen aid and turns it on. "Oh, I like confidence in a man."

"Next?" He asks dryly and I snicker and then quickly find a recipe on my phone. "Is this even the stuff we need?"

"Yes. I just needed to check. Alright, is it all creamed together?" I glance into the bowl. "Yes. Okay." I turn off the mixer and lift the arm. "Now, add in the cream of tartar, the flour, the baking soda, and the salt." I say and he does. "Now we'll blend that together." He flips the arm down and turns the mixer on again.

"Now what are these for?" He asks, meaning the cinnamon and the sugar. "Decoration?" I nod.

"Well, sort of. Dump the cinnamon into the sugar bowl." I instruct and he does. "Now mix that together really well." I say as I move to check the dough. It's all blended together so I take the bowl after switching it off. "This could get a little messy." I note and he rolls up his sleeves. "Good. Now, we're going to drop little balls of dough in here and completely coat them before we put them on the cookie sheet and bake them. Savvy?"

"Sure." He says and he begins doing it. I step back, allowing him to. I move over and check the sugar cookies. They're cool, so I place them on a platter and set them on the cart. "Annie, I'm finished. How long should I bake them for?"

"We'll try eight minutes first." I say and he puts them into the oven and sets the timer. "We make a good team."

"What are you talking about? I did all the work." He says and I raise my eyebrow at him. "This is why I don't joke around with people, they never get it."

"You're so misunderstood." I say with fake sympathy. "You know…to raise some money, you guys could have a bake sale…I can teach everyone to make something simple."

"You know…that's not such a bad idea." He says as he wipes off his hands and takes out his little black book.

"No bake cookies for Tamaki because hell will freeze over before I trust that." I say and then frown. "On second thought, maybe just a pudding of some sort. He can't possibly destroy anything with that. The twins can make the no bake cookies, because they're kind of crazy. Honey-senpai and Takashi would make cake…I don't doubt for a second. Then you could make your famous snickerdoodles. Then Haruhi is free to do whatever because…well she's used to cooking." I say with a smile. "Then Addie and I can make pies or something."

"I'll run the idea by our king." He says as he puts away the book. "Do you need help with anything else?"

"Only if you want to help. I know you probably have a lot to do in the lines of budgeting and the like." I say and he actually puts on an apron.

"That's what two in the morning is for." He says and we begin baking together…well, I do most of the baking but he helps.

* * *

"My father was talking to me." Kyoya says as we walk back towards our rooms from the dining room. "And he wanted me to make sure that your…mental state was alright. If you needed to speak with someone about what happened."

"What almost happened." I say, pointing at him and then I shake my head. "Dr. Honda gave me some natural sleep promoting remedies that have been helping overall…I haven't had a bad dream since the last one you woke me up from and I've been sleeping like a baby."

"That's good to hear." He says, almost awkwardly. "Annie, I really am sorry that I thought the worst."

"I guess it's like I told Addie…I understand that it looked bad, but I just wish that you had more faith in me." I say, looking away.

"My faith should be undaunting now. I thought you would never speak to me again." He says and I roll my eyes. "Annie…do you remember your phone call with Tamaki when you stayed at Haruhi's house?"

"I stayed at Haruhi's house?" I ask, raising my eyebrow and he sighs. "Kyoya, you realize how sick I was, don't you?"

"Yes…you jumped out of your window, I'm still upset about that by the way, and then you ran away and all the way to Haruhi's in the pouring rain." He says and I know I look impressed. "My father was furious."

"At me?" I ask and he shakes his head. "Oh…I'm sorry for causing so much trouble." I say and he stops. I turn around and look at him.

"It wasn't your fault." He says and I smile sadly. "Annie. None of what happened is your fault…I mean you shouldn't have run off like that, but…"

"It's okay, Kyoya, Kasanoda saved me." I say, trying to comfort him but he only looks more distraught.

"I should have been the one to save you." He says and I sigh, walking over to him. I fix the collar of his shirt. "I promised…"

"I know, but no one is perfect…not even you Anal Retentive Lord." I say and then start walking again. "Just don't let it happen again!"

"I don't plan on it." He says, catching up with me. We walk back in a comfortable silence. When we reach my door, we both stop. "Annie…" I see the anguish in his eyes.

"Kyo, it's okay." I say and then I hug him. "Despite what your father may think, you're not out of the running…if that's what you're worried about."

"Not for the reasons you think." He says softly, hugging me in return. "Try to get some more rest."

"You too. If I wake up at three and find you to be awake, I will do something drastic." I threaten and he smiles.

"Goodnight, Annie…if you need me, just call." He says and I go into my room. Things will get better, they have to or else I don't know what I'll do.

* * *

_I really hope that this was okay, guys. I'm really freaking out so if you think that I should just take out that bit entirely, please let me know. I tried something new and so I REALLY need to know. I'm so sorry if I made you too upset! I love my readers so much 3 _


	10. I'm Sam Winchester!

_Hello everyone! I have mixed feelings about this chapter, but I hope that you like it anyway! I'm sorry for putting you through that last chapter, so I decided to give you a break! I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has followed or favorited this story and those of you who have reviewed! It really means a lot to me because I am super proud of this story (maybe more so than I actually should be). So, thanks for reading and here goes chapter 10!_

"Annie, Dr. Honda has specifically put you on a caffeine restriction." Kyoya says, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I realize that you are saying words…but uh…I don't speak Japanese." I say, but only because it's the first thing to come to mind.

"You're not supposed to have caffeine." He repeats, this time in French. I sigh and look up at him.

"Look, buddy, do you see these dark circles under these beautiful green orbs? I know they're kind of hidden by these horrendous glasses, but they're not pretty. I have been getting crappy sleep lately and I need caffeine to function." I say and he rolls his eyes. I'm not sure exactly what happened…I had been sleeping so well and all of a sudden it just stopped.

"That is precisely why you're on a caffeine restriction. If I have to have someone follow you around all day to make sure that you don't have any caffeine, I will." He says and I put my hands on my hips. I glance over at the table that holds my Mocha with a double shot of expresso and dive for it. Kyoya, having longer arms and legs than I do, reaches it before me and takes it. "Annie…it's for your own good."

"When I have babies, I won't be able to have caffeine, so I should have as much as I can right now." I say and he looks surprised for a minute, and a little flushed.

"That is not how that works. Annie, you are not to have caffeine. Dr. Honda says so." He says and I sigh. "You can, however, have some caffeine free tea."

"Why don't you just give me stale bread and water?" I mutter and he chuckles. I glare at him. "I am a French woman. What do French people do? We sit at cafes, sip coffee, and appreciate the beautiful things in life."

"You can appreciate the beautiful things in life from a café….only you won't have any caffeine while you do it." He says and I stomp off. He follows me, and we get into the black car.

"You're no longer invited to go shopping with us." I say and he looks at me dubiously. "I'm serious."

"No you aren't." He says and I fold my arms across my chest. I cross my legs a few different times. "See? You're jittery…"

"I wouldn't be if I had coffee." I say and he shakes his head. It doesn't take very long for us to arrive at the mall…it's one of the higher end ones…Hikaru and Kaoru's mom has a shop there…which is sort of why we came to this one. I spot Addie as soon as we pull up and she has two coffees. I sprint out of the car before it's even completely stopped and run to her side. "Quick! Give me coffee! He's torturing me!" She hands over the coffee and I drink it like a man who hasn't had anything to drink for days.

"Did you just…" Kyoya says as he jogs up. "She's on a caffeine restriction." He says and I shoot him a glare.

"Annie." Addie says, giving me a look. "Oh well…enjoy your last coffee." She says and I know that everyone will be actively keeping me from my lifeblood.

"You guys hate me." I say, my shoulders drooping. Everyone else walks up to us…even Haruhi who is dressed in a surprisingly girly outfit.

"What's the matter, Annie?" Tamaki asks, drifting gracefully over to me. I shoot him a glare and he frowns, his eyes glistening with tears.

"They're taking me off of caffeine." I say and he picks me up, spinning me in circles going on about how terrible it is. "Tamaki!" I snap and he's off in some corner, weeping silently. "I'm sorry…I'm just not a morning person when I don't have coffee."

"And you could deprive this beautiful soul of something as important as her smile first thing in the morning!?" Tamaki exclaims and then goes on a rant about how important it is for young ladies to smile all the time. I zone out…

* * *

"I'm going to have to sneak it…or Kyoya will make me crazy." I say, glancing around the store. Addie tries to stop me, but I don't see him in sight, so I make a break, sneaking through the store and out the door. I walk casually down the corridor, hands in my pockets as I go.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kyoya asks, falling into step beside me. I sigh. "It's for your own good….really."

"It isn't helping." I say and he gives me a look. "Do you realize how long my parents tried to keep me off of caffeine? I realize that Dr. Honda is a professional, but no one, not even you Stalker Kyo, knows me better than I know myself. A caffeine restriction will only serve to make me grumpy, and nobody likes a grumpy Anya."

"I know…but at least try it. My father is still angry with me for…well…and so it would help me a great deal if you would just try for two weeks." He says and I glare up at him. He isn't playing fair.

"I'll cut back on caffeine, but it will look like I'm having none." I say and it's his turn to give me a look. "It's that or no dice, buddy."

"Fine, three cups of coffee a week and that is final." He says and I gape at him. "You're the one who wanted to bargain. Do you really think that I wouldn't hire someone to make sure you don't drink coffee or soda?"

"That's not a bargain, that is torture." I say and this causes him to chuckle. "I don't believe that this is funny, Mr. Ohtori."

"Annie…to be frank, you sound like some sort of drug addict." He says and then he thinks on it. "I suppose in a way you are. It's very unhealthy how much caffeine you have in any given day."

"It's unhealthy how little sleep you get in any given night. I almost miss Asshole Kyo who didn't give a rat's ass about what I did." I say grumpily.

"I'll let that slide, but only because you didn't know." He says and I glare at him. "You may have one soda."

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child. I'm more adult than you." I say and he gives me a look. "I'll have as much soda as I deem appropriate. You will not tell me what I may or may not have." I grump.

"Okay, Anya." He says and I sigh. "What?" He looks down at me as I stop. I sit down on a bench.

"I'm just tired." I say to my feet and he sits down next to me, managing to look cool and collected like he always does. "I shouldn't take that out on you, I'm sorry."

"I understand." He says, taking off his glasses and cleaning them with a cloth. "I'll see what I can do about lifting the caffeine ban…but only if you promise to at least try it."

"I'll try it, but it won't work." I say, resting my face in my hands. "You're going to catch a lot of grief from me."

"I'm used to it." He says as he puts his glasses back on. "I potentially have to deal with that for the rest of my life."

"Thanks." I say with a laugh. "I'm not that bad when I'm well rested. I've been kind of struggling lately."

"Do you need to see someone about it?" He asks and I look over at him and smile a little bit.

"Yeah…but not like what you mean. I just need friends right now and I haven't wanted to bother Addie with it since…well…" I sigh. "And I know that Haruhi has been worried about studying…and I don't get to spend much time with Tamaki or the twins anymore and I don't want to talk with Takashi or Honey-senpai about it…and then there's…"

"Then there's me…" He says, sitting back with his hands in his pockets. "Why don't you feel that you can talk to me?"

"Because I'm afraid of hurting your feelings." I answer honestly. "We should probably get back, Tamaki's going to freak out." I say as I stand up. He catches my hand, though.

"Annie, you don't have to be afraid of hurting my feelings." He says and then he stands up as well. "Your hands are freezing."

"Always." I say with a laugh as I try to take it back. "Sorry, it doesn't help that it's kind of chilly out."

"It's fine." He says and then he starts walking, somewhat dragging me along next to him until I walk of my own will. We make our way back to the store and as we enter, he lets go.

"Anya Marie-Sofie Masson, get that sweet little ass over here and try on this." Addie calls and I laugh as I go over and accept the outfit from her. "I'm determined to make you wear jeans."

"I wear jeans…I'm wearing jeans right now." I say and she shakes her head. "Oh come on…"

"March!" She exclaims and I salute before I go into the fitting room. I pull on the skin tight skinny jeans and pull the top over my head. I step out and she gasps. "Anya…you're beautiful." She says, wiping away fake tears. "Twins!"

"Ma'am!" The suddenly pop up, saluting to her. "Oh wow, Anya! You look great!" Still in perfect unison. Weirdos.

"I don't like pants." I say, trying not to squirm under their scrutiny. "And I'm not sure about this neckline."

"You look gorgeous. Trust me…" She says, pulling me over to the three way mirror and placing my glasses on my face. I pull my hair into a bun and then check myself out all the way around.

"I guess…I look okay. I like the color." I say, turning to face front again. The jeans make my legs look longer, which is nice. The wine color of the shirt doesn't make me look too entirely pale. "Okay…I'll get it." I look at my three fashion consultants and they high five. "Let's go to a shoe store after we find something for Haruhi." I say and the usually androgynous lady in question looks over at me like I'm evil. "I'll keep them in check." I say as I go back into the fitting room and put my clothes back on.

* * *

"I miss the violin." I say offhandedly. Kyoya turns around from his desk and looks at me. I'm sitting on the couch in his room painting my toe nails.

"Do you have to do that in here?" He asks, sounding a little irritated. "And if that's so, then I can arrange for someone to get a violin for you."

"No thanks." I say as I stand up and walk on my heels towards the door. "I might back later when you're a little nicer." I walk out and down the hall to my room. I sit down on my desk chair and finish up with the dark purple nail polish. With Halloween being tomorrow, I decided to indulge myself and be a little festive. I have to dress up for club, the first time I've actually had to while being in the club. That's probably why Kyoya is grumpy…Tamaki probably went overboard. "That's no excuse though…" I say out loud before I make sure the polish is dry. I stand up and go over to my bed, falling face first onto the pillow. Halloween was always Francois' favorite time of the year…we'd watch the cute Halloween movies together and I'd let him decorate the spooky cookies that I made. I hope that he'll be okay…I hope that Gaston makes him cookies to decorate…if only I'd had time to write down what Francois needs…then I'd feel better about being here.

"Annie?" Kyoya knocks on the door. I wipe away my tears and go over to the door. I open it a crack and put my face in it, not even allowing the chance for him to come in. "I'm sorry for how I was behaving. Tamaki is being unreasonable with the Halloween plans ever since he caught wind that it was your favorite time." He looks at me for a moment. "Were you crying?"

"No." I say, looking away for a moment to wipe my eyes again. "I realize that Tamaki may be an idiot sometimes, but you shouldn't take that out on me."

"I know, and I'm sorry…I didn't mean to make you cry." He says and I shake my head. "But…"

"You didn't make me cry…well maybe a little, but I mean I wasn't even crying to begin with." I say stubbornly.

"May I come in?" He asks and I sigh before I take a step back and allow him to enter. "Annie…I can tell when you've been crying."

"Fine, I miss my brother. This was OUR favorite time of the year." I say as I go over and sit down in my reading nook that randomly appeared one day when I got home from school. Kyoya closes the door behind him before he joins me. "It's stupid."

"Nothing that you feel is stupid." He says and I raise my eyebrow at him. "I overheard my father making plans…your brother is coming here. I'm not sure when, because it takes a while to get him here the way we got you here…but it is happening." My heart both swells and falls at the same time. "Annie?"

"I just…" I say as I dab at the tears that immediately sprung to my eyes. "My family…is my mother okay? And my father?"

"For all I know, they're all fine. It will just be safer and probably better for Francois to be with you." He says and I nod. "Right now, they're just trying to gather enough evidence to catch that man…if they can. He is very good at what he does."

"Harassing and separating families?" I say sulkily and lean my head back. "Everyone has been great here….but…"

"I know…and they know too." He says and that sort of makes me feel bad. "All any of us wants is for you to be safe. It's kind of funny, I've never seen Haruhi be so protective over anyone."

"It was kind of strange. She was so different from how she normally is when I stayed at her house." I say with a small smile. "Standing up to you and Tamaki must have taken a lot of courage."

"Haruhi may be apathetic towards most things, but she is a true and loyal friend. That is something I admire about her…a value, if you will." He says and I roll my eyes. "What?"

"You can just say that you like her as a person. You don't have to have some equitable social reward out of being friends with her to like her. That's why I love that you two generally get along so well, because in this messed up society where money is everything, you truly value her." I say and he blinks at me. "I thought we were past that bullshit pretense."

"Old habits." He says and I shake my head. When I figured it out, I knew that it was a defense mechanism for him. He hears the whispers about his position as the third son, so it only makes sense to be kind of a dick to assert dominance….compensating. I laugh to myself. "What?"

"Nothing, my personal musings amuse me." I say, sitting up. "You've been asking me if I need to go to therapy lately, but sometimes I think you're the one who needs it."

"And you're a professional psychologist?" He asks dryly and I shrug. "I know for a while that you thought about pursuing that field."

"That would be of more value to your father, huh?" I say with a laugh and he looks at me. "It's a joke, Kyo."

"Actually, he's pretty confident that you're going to pick me, so he's trying to work your ambitions in his favor…which is the first time I've seen him move for anyone other than himself." He says and I gape at him. "He's practically ready to give you the keys to a bakery, but he knows that you want to do it on your own…no doubt because of your father."

"I'm nothing if not independent…or I try to be." I say and he chuckles. "So my father would say, strong willed, but who's counting? I think it's admirable that I want to do it on my own…get a loan and everything. I'm not gonna be some pretty little princess of the Masson family who uses her daddy's money to get what she wants."

"Which is one of the many things that I admire about you." He says and I blush, looking at him through narrowed eyes. "Now, you were talking about wanting a violin earlier."

"No, I said I missed the violin. Since you were mean, I have no desire to ever play the violin for you as long as I may live." I say, folding my arms across my chest. "Now, for the Halloween ball tomorrow, what should I wear? Because…well I've never not been home on Halloween before and I know it's probably different here."

"We have everything taken care of, all you need to do is show up." He says and I pout. "What's that?"

"I wanted to pick my costume, but I guess since I am part of the club and it is a school sponsored event." I say, laying down on my couch. I reach over and grab one of my books. "Why do you want to spend so much time with me?"

"I just came to apologize…if you would rather…" He stands up, but I grab his hand. "If we're going to spend time together in here, I should bring my work with me."

"If you must." I say as I let go of his hand. He walks out and I open my book. I hate how clingy I've been to him lately. It makes me feel like I am lame and needy…which I guess I sort of have been lately. I don't know why I think I'm going to be able to read, I'm way too distracted. Kyoya comes back then, and returns to where he was sitting. He has a folder and his laptop. I glance at him before I cross my legs, kicking one foot in the air while I try to focus on the words on the page. "Do you ever think of what it might be like if we were to get married? I'm only asking because I'm doing my research…us married versus me being married to Takashi."

"Honestly?" He asks, looking up from his work. I nod and he sighs, almost seeming nervous. "It's not as uncommon as you might think."

"What? You think that makes you girly or something? Because I don't think so…I think that men should dream too." I say and he smiles a little.

"Then yes, I do think about what it would be like." He says and he closes his lap top. "Anya…I am in love with you, and the moments that we spend together like this only continue to confirm my feelings for you." He's finally said it…my heart is racing a million miles an hour. "Anyone who relatively knows Mori-senpai, knows that he has feelings for Adelaide." Uh oh…has he figured it out? "But we know that the two of them will respect your decision." Maybe not… "But to answer your question…yes, I do think about what being married to you would be like and it seems like the most enjoyable while simultaneously excruciatingly frustrating experience I could possibly live with."

"I think that's a compliment." I say, laughing nervously. "I do love you, Kyo." I don't look at him as I speak. "I mean…I'd have to in order to be able to forgive you after the way you treated me after the attack."

"So, have you decided then?" He asks and I look at him finally. He is so vulnerable right now…how can I keep doing this to him?

"Yes." I say and then I look away again. "I can't tell you though…not yet. I'm not ready."

"Then I'll wait." He says simply and then he goes back to work. I mean…I can't really ask any more questions now. I successfully didn't tell him without destroying him. I open my book again and pretend to read…the confirmation of his love for me making it impossible to focus.

* * *

"Ah, at last! The spookiest of days has arrived! The day when the veil between the spirit and our world are the thinnest! The day where…ah!" I exclaim as I trip, cutting my proclamation of love for Halloween short.

"You really should be more careful, Annie." The twins say together as they help me up. "You're starting to sound like Milord."

"Guys! It's the best day of the year!" I say as I give them each a kiss on the cheek. "Nothing, and I mean nothing at all, could possibly ruin this day for me! Happy Halloween Nekozawa-senpai!" I exclaim, waving enthusiastically at the third year.

"Ah, Anya." He says, giving his usual creepy laugh that freaks the twins out. "It is refreshing to see one such as yourself enjoying the darkest of days."

"Mhmm! Have a good day!" I say, waving as I hold the twins back. "So what should we do first, guys? Movie marathon? Halloween carnival? Karaoke contest? I heard that the cooking club was baking all kinds of cookies and cakes!"

"Cakes!?" Hunny-senpai exclaims and I laugh, throwing my head back. "By the way, Annie-chan, you look super cute! What are you supposed to be?"

"Thanks! I'm Sam Winchester! I'm part of a set." I say with a great big smile. Addie walks up then, sunglasses on and a coffee in hand. "Good morning!"

"You're too peppy." She says, her voice still rough from sleep. She must have overslept and Alfred had to drag her out of bed.

"Well, I brought your day costume." I inform her as I thrust the bag into her hands. "Boys, take her to change." I say and the twins salute to me as they drag her away. "I'll never get used to that…it's almost like when they actually listen to Tamaki."

"They respect you like they respect them." Kyoya says and I smile at him. After our conversation yesterday, things have felt a little different. "Your costume looks very nice."

"Where's yours?" I ask and he looks reluctant. "Tamaki?" I ask and he nods. He hasn't really had a chance to wake up yet…we both fell asleep in my reading nook and we've been on the run since we woke up. I laugh. "Every day should be Halloween, because I don't even feel like I haven't had coffee!"

"Your vitality is refreshing!" Tamaki exclaims as he runs up. "Sorry I'm late everyone! I've got your costumes! They're in the club room!" I pull Kyoya along as Tamaki goes on a spiel, similar to my own, about how wonderful today is…only his has the added effect that girls are falling at his feet left and right.

"Come on sleepy head." I say gently, pulling him forward enough so that I can hold onto his arm. "I'm out of practice in heels."

"Never thought I'd see the day." He says dryly and I smirk. "I thought you seemed taller."

"Very funny. I should just let you fall face first on the ground. Gentleman, my ass." I say with a haughty laugh.

"I'm a gentleman, you're just making me follow this lunatic." He says and I shake my head and begin humming. "It's nice to see you smiling."

"If I smile, I should be able to get through the day." I say, trying to keep my positive outlook. As we approach the club room, there is a mix of boys and girls anxiously waiting.

"Ladies! And oh! Gentlemen too! The Host Club will not be open until after school hours! However, we will be enjoying the various activities today!" Tamaki exclaims, hushing their disappointed sighs with the promise of seeing us all day. We duck into the club room, shutting the door behind us.

"They're dying of thirst." I mutter and Kyoya can't stop the laugh that bursts through his sleepy composure.

"What?" Addie asks as she walks up, wearing a costume similar to my own…only she's supposed to be my 'brother'. "What'd she say, Kyoya?"

"I'd rather not repeat it, as it was very rude." He says and I shrug. "You're lucky most of them don't speak French."

"I know…that's why I can get away with it." I say with a shrug as I leave his side. I go over to the kitchen with Addie and we sit on the counter. "I said that they were thirsty."

"You've got that right." She says shaking her head. "I really like this costume by the way, thanks for not sticking me in some poofy thing Tamaki put you up to…I'm just a little disappointed that I'm not Jared."

"Sam." I say and we laugh. "It makes sense though, you're supposed to be 'the girl their mothers warn them about' and Dean is 'the boy our fathers warn us about', so it's perfect!"

"Yeah, yeah." She says and I lay my head on her shoulder. "Have you been getting any more sleep?"

"Last night I did." I say and she looks down at me. "It seems like I sleep the best when someone is near me…and well…Kyoya and I fell asleep in my reading nook."

"Ohhhh, get it girl." She says and I hide my face. "As long as you sleep, I don't care how it happens. Though it is really funny to see you grouchy."

"Why? Because I'm normally chipper and annoying?" I ask and she nods. We laugh together and hop off the counter as the boys come out of the changing room. They're all dressed as vampires…except for Haruhi who is dressed like a cute witch. "You look so cute!" I exclaim, running over to her. "Your fans will adore it."

"I don't think they're the only ones." She says dryly, tossing a glare at Tamaki and the twins. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I'm Sam Winchester! This is my brother Dean." I say, putting my arm around Addie. "We've got fake badges too!"

"I'm going to guess it's an American thing?" Haruhi says and I nod. "Well, you guys look great…and comfortable." She shoots a pointed look at Tamaki.

"Aw! We should have made Haruhi our little brother, Adam!" I exclaim and then I look at Addie and we both run into the costume room, Tamaki shouting after us to stop. We put together the best costume we can, and after she changes, it doesn't look too bad. She still looks like a boy, which is good. "We got Adam out of Hell." I snicker and Addie shakes her head.

"Tamaki, the customers enjoy those three as a set." Kyoya says to the depressed blonde. He glances over at us, giving me a look. I shrug.

"If you loonies are done, the three of us are going to enjoy the festivities!" I exclaim, pulling my two girl best friends along with me as I run out of the club room.

"Look! It's Haruhi, Adelaide, and Anya!" A group of girls stops us and smiles. "What are you guys supposed to be?" The girl who spoke asks, tilting her head to the side.

"Well, I'm a girl version of Sam Winchester. Adelaide is a girl version of Dean Winchester, and Haruhi is the regular version of their little brother Adam! It's from an American television show that I really enjoy." I say with a smile.

"So you guys are cosplaying!? How cool! Who is the rest of the club dressed as?" She exclaims.

"You'll see, have fun today guys!" I say with a wave over my shoulder as I start running again.

"I really don't get it…but I'm definitely more comfortable." Haruhi says as she checks out her costume. "Thanks, you guys."

"No problem, you did look adorable, but I know what you prefer." I say with a smile. "That…and it kind of gives me a sense of personal satisfaction."

"Whatever you say." She says and the three of us laugh. "Hey, do you guys want to check out what the cooking club has first?"

"You're reading my mind." Addie says and the three of us head in that direction. I shake my head at the two.

"You guys only think with your stomachs." I say and Addie shrugs. "Good thing we've got such high metabolisms!"

"Yeah, because you're just as bad as the two of us." Haruhi says dryly and I shrug. "You barely weight one hundred pounds sopping wet."

"Eh, it's stress. I used to be a little overweight." I say and they shake their heads. "I know, I eat all the time now. I just can't seem to gain weight."

"Speaking of food…here's where the event is." Haruhi says and we enter the cooking club's club room. The room is set up with an extensive spread of 'Halloween' related foods from around the world.

"Welcome!" A couple of them exclaim. "You're our first visitors!" I wonder how these people always manage to be in unison with each other.

"Oh! You're from the host club!" A girl says, looking shy at that. "Thank you so much for coming!"

"Hey, you guys have the food." Addie says, unbashful as always. "It all looks so great…I don't know what to try first."

"I'd be more than happy to show you around, shall we start in Mexico?" The tallest boy says as he comes out from behind the counter. "This way please." He says, leading us over to a display. He picks up a tray with some sort of bread and offers it to us. We each take a piece. "This is called Pan de muerto, or bread of the dead. In Mexico, they celebrate Dia de Los Muertos and where they honor the spirits of their loved ones by throwing parties in the graveyards.

"It's really good!" I exclaim and then blush a little. "Sorry, I'm French. We have a respect for good, fresh bread."

"It's perfectly fine!" He says with a smile. "Honestly, I'm just glad that somebody did show up. The other clubs are putting on much more interesting events."

"I don't think that they're necessarily more interesting. A different type of interesting, maybe, but I like how instead of just throwing food at people you're actually trying to inform them of different customs." Addie says and he looks really happy.

* * *

"We finally found you!" Hikaru exclaims as he latches onto my arm. Kaoru latches onto Addie and Haruhi.

"Yeah, come on you three! We're missing the movie marathon! Slasher flicks for days!" Kaoru says and I feel the color drain from my face.

"You're not….scared….are you?" Hikaru asks, sounding sinister. I struggle against his hold on me.

"Please don't make me!" I cry, really about ready to cry. After a tragic incident where my father thought it would be funny to scare me…I haven't been able to watch actual scary movies. Hikaru hauls me over his shoulder. "No!" I pound on his back as he runs through the school to where they're showing the movies. "Hikaru!"

"Hikaru." Kyoya's voice breaks through my fear and the red-headed devil sets me down. He looks like he feels really bad. Am I crying? Oh my god, I am. I hide my face as Kyoya puts a comforting arm around me. He must be explaining because I hear Hikaru's voice, not the words, he must be apologizing. "She's fine, I'll just take her over here for a minute so she can calm down." I'm directed to an out of the way bench and sat down. "Are you okay?"

"It's not his fault, don't kill him." I say, wiping my eyes. "Damn Dad…traumatizing me." I try to laugh, but it comes out as a sob.

"What on Earth did he do?" Kyoya asks, sounding a little exasperated. I look up at him and try not to laugh. The costume looks too good on him.

"I was watching a really scary movie by myself in the entertainment room at home and he and Sergio thought it would be hilarious to cut the power and chase me through the house with fake knives. My mother was furious." I explain and he shakes his head. "My father is a lot like Tamaki's in the aspect that he likes playing jokes and teasing."

"That sounds horrible…" He says and I start laughing, it tap dances on the edge of hysterical. "Annie?"

"It's just…no matter how bad some of my dad's jokes are, I'd love to have to endure them if that meant that I could see them." I say, and all of a sudden I'm crying again. "Like the time he wore a gorilla suit and barged into the room where mom and I were getting our nails done."

"I'll make the world safe for you." Kyoya says as he sits down next to me and pulls me into his arms. I rest my head on his chest, laughing and crying at the same time. "I promise."


	11. Welcome to Japan, Francois

_Hello everyone! Welcome to the eleventh installment of Hidden! I am absolutely in love with writing this story, so I hope that you enjoy reading it! This chapter was fun to write, and so I won't keep you for very long so that you can actually read it! I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you to the people who have followed and favorited this story and also for those of you who have reviewed. It really means a lot to me to know how I am doing and what you guys think. So, that's all, enjoy the chapter!_

"I'm chopping my hair off." I say as I examine my reflection in the mirror of my vanity. I see Kyoya glance up from his lap top in shock. "There's just too much of it…I'm getting lazier by the day."

"If laziness is the issue, then I don't think that cutting your hair is the appropriate solution." He says and I sigh, putting my head down.

"You're just saying that because you've developed some kind of weird fetish with my hair." I say and he sighs. I can hear the roll of his eyes. "Could you have rolled your eyes any harder?"

"Probably not." He says and I laugh. "I do not have a fetish for your hair. I just think that it looks nice as it is. If you want to cut it off, who am I to say?"

"Don't worry…I generally go through something like this every few months. It took me forever to grow my hair out, so I won't be cutting it any time soon." I say as I stand up. "Someday…but not soon."

"I'm glad to hear it." He says, going back to his work. "You know, Tamaki wants us to come over for dinner sometime soon." I walk over to my desk and sit down, hiding the blush on my face. It sounds like we're a married couple.

"Does he?" I say, opening my laptop. Hikaru has emailed me more of his drawings for my wedding dress. "Oh wow…"

"What?" Kyoya asks, and I can hear him standing up. I close the lid very quickly. "What were those?"

"Nothing. So when should we go? I really do miss Shima." I say, turning around in the chair. He's close.

"Annie…" He says and I raise my eyebrows in question. "What were those pictures?" I fold my arms across my chest.

"They're personal. I don't have to tell you a damn thing, and don't get any wise ideas about hacking into my email either. Respect my privacy." I say as I stand up again. "They're a thing from Hikaru. Drawings."

"Okay." He says and then he looks at his watch…the one I gave him and not the one that is currently on my wrist. "Would you like to go out for dinner with me?"

"Like a…" I start, sounding more nervous than I mean to. He gets that overly-handsome satisfied smirk and I purse my lips. "Like a date?"

"If that is what you would like to call it. We could just call it dinner, though." He says and I turn him around by the shoulders and start pushing him towards the door.

"You should give a lady an appropriate amount of time to get ready if you're going to ask her to dinner. I'm assuming I should wear a dress?" I ask as we reach the door.

"Nothing too formal." He says before I boot him out the door. I run to my closet and thumb through the hangers, glancing at each dress as I pass them up. Finally, my hands fall on the new red dress that the twins had given me. I grab it and pair it with a simple black pair of heels, since it's cold I put on black tights as well. I go over to the vanity and style my hair in a sophisticated looking pony tail. After that I put on some light makeup. I forgo any jewelry, but I keep Kyoya's watch on. I transfer my small wallet and my cell phone into my favorite black clutch and throw my black pea coat over my arm just as there's a knock at the door. I go over and open the door.

"You look lovely." Kyoya says as he offers his arm to me. I take it, closing the door gently behind me, and we head down the hall. Once we're in the foyer we stop and he takes my coat from me and helps me into it.

"Thanks." I say, the first word I've been able to utter. It isn't my fault…he has this way of always looking impeccable…and he doesn't even have to try. The red, no doubt silk, shirt under his black jacket really does wonders for him. I wonder if this was planned…because we probably look like one hell of a pair. "You…don't look so bad yourself."

"Thank you, Anya." He says as we head out into the cold November air. The sun is setting, so it's only going to get worse. Kyoya opens the door for me and I slide into the car. He closes the door and gets in on the other side.

"You're less freaked out around me now." I note and he looks at me, a small smile gracing his features. "More at peace."

"You know how I feel now." He says, taking my hand that had been sitting in the middle. "And I know that you at least have some semblance of the same feelings for me, so the way I see it…we can pretend to be normal for now."

"For now." I say quietly, enjoying the warm feeling of his hand holding mine. "I like when you're at peace…but not when you get that smile on your face…that one from before when you asked me to come."

"Why don't you like it?" He asks, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I have to look away, because I'm too embarrassed.

"Well, because it's a loop hole. I told you to not use your host voice on me…and somehow you've found a way around it. Because what you did was not how you act during hosting hours…but it also wasn't normal Kyo." I say, shrugging my shoulders lightly.

"So I have another personality now?" He asks, amused. "I assure you, if it sounds like I am trying to 'host' you, I am not."

"Good to know." I say with a laugh. "That isn't even how you pulled me in. That particular bit happened all of a sudden….I think."

"What on earth were you thinking?" He asks and I laugh. "I'm serious…you have your pick…in the general sense, we're not talking about your ultimate choice between Mori-senpai and myself…but…why me?"

"Why not you? You always tell me that I don't see myself very clearly, but I think that you're the one who doesn't see yourself clearly." I say, looking up at him. My eyes meet his, but I don't look away. "Kyo…you're a great person. Yes, you piss me off a lot and you were a royal jerk when we first met…but you see people and you understand them. Regardless of the fact that you try to make people think you're just using them, you love so fiercely and it's a little scary sometimes. You're almost like Tamaki in that respect…only he isn't scary." He chuckles. "One of the first times you expressed actual concern for me was the first time I saw Dr. Honda…do you remember that?"

"How could I forget?" He asks and I smile a little. "She told me that you were twenty pounds underweight…I thought the worst…"

"You do have a habit of doing that. Let's not talk about that though, because I am a woman and I don't like talking about my figure, I'd rather just have it be silently admired." I smirk as in the dim light I see the color spread across his face. "When did you know that you were in love with me?"

"I knew for certain that I felt something when I first heard you sing." He says and my smile grows. "It isn't when you're thinking…I actually heard you sing before then, but now I'm not so afraid of you being angry with me."

"So you lied, and set up an elaborate, romantic dance for us under false pretenses of the first song that you heard me sing." I say dryly and he shakes his head.

"Oh, it was the same song. You sing that one often." He says and I glower at him, but not full force. "May I ask why?"

"Well…it's really stupid." I say, trying to disappear into nothing. "I really don't want to say."

"Trust me." He says and I look at him…realizing that I do…fully. "Come on Annie…it can't be so bad."

"It's because…well I have this fantasy of someone I love singing that song to me…or any song really. It's totally stupid. Forget I said anything." I say, trying to hide, but he doesn't let me.

"I don't think it's stupid." He says, but I still won't look at him. "We're dreamers…Annie."

"We're so alike, yet so different at the same time." I say and he hums his agreement. "I wouldn't describe you as a dreamer….ambitious maybe. Then again…I'm still not used to the romantic side of you. Romantic Kyo enjoys embarrassing me."

"The way you describe me…" He shakes his head. "I'm not really that bad, am I?" He asks.

"Well…some of them sort of go together. Romantic Kyo and Cute Kyo for instance. I don't want to tell you the other personality name I developed." He gives me a look as I speak. "Oh fine, I do want to tell you. It's Dick Face Kyo."

"How you monitor your language in front of my family I will never know." He says dryly. The car stops and Kyoya gets out, going around to the other side to open my door. I accept his hand and he helps me out. "Have I mentioned that you look stunning?"

"Something like it." I say, my cheeks turning red. We walk into the building and ride the elevator up to the top floor. As the doors open, a man asks for our coats. Kyoya helps me out of mine and then gives them to the man. We walk up to the host.

"Ohtori." Kyoya says and the man trips over himself to give us the best possible service. We are escorted to a table that's out of the way and intimate. The host leaves us with our menus.

"You planned this." I say, shooting him a lighthearted glare. He shoots back the smirk from earlier. "I knew it. We even match." I roll my eyes.

"That was unintentional." He says, amusement clear in his eyes. "I remember you saying that you liked Italian food."

"Yes, it's one of my favorites." I say with a smile. "This is really nice, Kyo." I say, looking around. The dimly lit, candle light atmosphere gives a really intimate feeling.

"After the fiasco at the Halloween ball, I thought that you deserved something nice." He says and I look away. "We won't talk about it…not now at least."

"You're a gem." I say, taking a sip from my crystal water glass. "You guys have yelled at me enough about it. So…uh…how are things?"

"They're alright." He says, the small smile never leaving his lips. "And with you?" Now he's making fun of me.

"They're fine." I say with a nod. Why does this feel so different? Oh my god…it's because this is my first date. How did I not realize! That's exactly why it is this way…Addie must have been involved in the planning…she knew I'd freak out. I didn't even have time to think about it.

"Are they?" He asks, concern briefly flickering across his face. I nod, smiling. "I'm glad." The waiter then comes up and we order. I always hate restaurants, because I never know the appropriate protocol. I must do alright though…because no one laughs or makes fun of me. "You'll have to forgive me…I'm not used to this kind of thing."

"Neither am I…talking to you is usually so easy." I say, pushing a lock of my hair out of my face and back into place. "I mean…"

"I understand." He says and I smile, letting out a small sigh that helps me to relax my shoulders. "Uh…"

"Hmm?" I ask, looking him in the eye. He looks away and then I laugh. He looks fearful for a moment before he starts laughing too. "Maybe we're not the date types."

"No, this is nice." He says, a big smile on his face now. "I really am enjoying myself. It's just, for the first time in my life I am completely at a loss for words. I think of something and then I look at you and I draw a blank."

"Same." I laugh. "I think we're the type of people who don't have to talk to have a good time. I enjoy being around you."

"I'm glad." He says, looking relieved. "I'm sorry that this is so awkward…It isn't at all how I imagined it."

"Oh? So what did Mr. Kyoya Ohtori imagine for his first date with me? That I'd be swooning and falling all over myself to try and get you to hang on my every word?" I ask, resting my chin on my hand.

"Absolutely not." He says, shaking his head. "You're not that type of woman…and you see, you don't have to try to get me to hang on your every word. You already do that naturally."

"That was smooth." I say, sitting up again. "That was very smooth." Our meals are then brought out to us. And so…this is my first date.

* * *

"What do you three have to say for yourselves?" I ask as I pace back and forth in front of Addie and the twins.

"Milord was in on it too." Hikaru says, quick to throw Tamaki under the bus. "He was the grand orchestrator…well next to Kyoya himself, but still."

"This one may live." I say, patting the evil red head on the arm. "Now…if I ever catch you guys scheming again…oh who am I kidding?"

"Exactly." Addie says, patting me on the head. "Did you have fun?" She asks and I flop into a chair.

"Yes…it was almost painfully awkward for both of us…but we had fun." I say, smiling to myself.

"You're so cute!" Hikaru and Kaoru exclaim, hugging me. "Our big sister is the cutest person ever!"

"Yeah, yeah." I say, trying to escape their holds. "Your big sister is a crazy person. We should get back out there, though."

"You're right…I've got a cake in the oven that's almost done." Addie says as she checks the timer on her phone. The four of us exit the back room, the boys carrying some things for us. "Annie? Is that your guitar case?"

"Shut up." I say as I begin icing a cake. "It's a surprise for me…Kyoya wouldn't tell me why, but he told me to bring it today." I begin adding the finer details to my cake.

"That's romantic." She says with a smile and then she sighs. "I may have to leave for a little while."

"Will you come back?" I ask, turning to look at her. She nods slowly, which doesn't really convince me.

"It's for my last movie." She says and I nod. "It should only take a couple of months…I don't know how to tell Takashi."

"Easy, you just say 'hey, I'm leaving for a while, but I'll be back'. He's more understanding than you give him credit for…and you guys haven't even confronted your feelings yet." I say and she runs a hand down her face.

"I need to do that, don't I?" She says and I laugh. "Today's as good a day as any…okay. It will happen today."

"You'll feel so much better." I say with a smile. We work in silence until the end of club hours. Addie has a lot to think about. "Good luck…" I say to her as she grabs her bag.

"Thanks…I'm gonna need it. Have fun at your surprise." She says with a wink and I realize that she knows what's going on. Before I can ask about it, she runs away however. I shake my head as I go over and pick up my guitar case.

"Are you ready to go? Tamaki can finish up those dishes." Kyoya says and I can tell that he's irritated with the poor blonde.

"I should stay and finish them, since I know you're being mean." I say with a smirk and he gives me a look. "Yes, Anal Retentive Lord." I grab my school bag.

"Would you like for me to carry something for you?" He asks, meaning I must look silly. I set my school bag down again and put the strap around my body, carrying the case on my back. I pick up my school bag again and smile.

"Hana's the only other person I trust with my baby." I say and for a moment, something flickers in his eyes. "You're going to start wearing contacts, so I get an unobstructed view of those expressive eyes of yours." I mutter darkly as I walk past him.

"You've been saying that a lot lately." He says, falling into step with me. We arrive at the car and I place my guitar in the trunk before we get into the back of the car. Almost as soon as we start driving, my eyes start feeling heavy. "Take a nap…" He instructs and I look up at him. "It's fine." In a moment of daring bravery, I scoot over and lean against him. He gently moves his arm and drapes it around me. I hear his heart racing and I smile.

"Careful, your heart might beat out of your chest." I mutter, enjoying everything about this.

"I know my limits." He says and I peek up at him, only to find him looking down at me. I quickly close my eyes again, smiling. "If I had known how pleasant this would be…"

"Me too…" I say with a yawn. "Now, I thought I was supposed to be sleeping." I say and he chuckles, the sound is even nicer close up.

"Of course, forgive me." He says and I relax further and after a while, he leans down and kisses the top of my head. My heart could burst.

* * *

"Annie." Someone shakes me gently. "Annie…wake up, we're here." I jump, struggling against a restraining arm. "It's alright, I'm sorry." Kyoya says and I look at him with wild eyes. "We're here…I'm sorry for scaring you."

"Sorry for freaking out." I say around a huge yawn. "Where are we?" I ask and try to look around. His hand covers my eyes though.

"It's still a surprise. Close your eyes and I'll guide you." He says and I do so, but only to get out of the car. As I stand upright, his hand covers my eyes again. "I have your guitar, I'll help you put it on."

"Kyoya…" I grumble. "My last surprise was moving to Japan, so you'll have to forgive me for not being overly fond of them." I let him put the strap around me though. The familiar weight is comforting.

"You'll like this one…don't you trust me?" He asks and I huff. "Now be careful, I won't let you fall but I shouldn't have to do all the work."

"You wouldn't have to if I were allowed to look." I mutter and he chuckles. I make a show of gently feeling out each step with my foot. "Why don't you just carry me? Mr. Strong Man?"

"Because then you'd look…and I'm not allowed to carry your guitar." He says and I sigh. "It's not very far, come on." He starts leading me, his hand firmly yet gently clasped over my eyes.

"What is this for?" I ask as we walk, I've stopped making things difficult, so it's going much smoother now.

"An apology…for last night being so awkward. I figured that this setting will be more comfortable for you." He says and that only makes me more curious.

"Why have you been so much Cute Kyo lately?" I ask and then it hits me. "Well, I never thought I'd see the day when Kyoya Ohtori would openly fight for my hand."

"You already love me, so I think that it's time to fight for the rest." He mutters, but not in the dark way that I normally do. "You're using a new shampoo, aren't you?"

"I thought you said that you weren't a stalker." I note and he actually laughs. "But yes, I frequently change shampoos. Washing my hair is the best part of the day, but what's even better is when someone else washes it for me."

"It's the little things." He says, his tone agreeable, but I can tell he's just distracting me. "We're almost there, the path is going to be a little more tricky now."

"O great gravity gods do not forsake me now!" I pray to the (for all I know) nonexistent gods. "Lift me up! Make my spirit one with you!"

"You're a comedian." Kyoya says dryly. I allow him to lead me through some place until we finally stop. "Okay…you can open your eyes." I open them and my eyes are assaulted by vibrant colors. I look all around me, admiring the different plants. "We're in a botanical garden…I know that it isn't the same, but I thought that if you wanted to, you could play amongst the flowers like you did at home."

"This is perfect…" I say as I look around. "I…I can't even tease you about anything…because this is the sweetest thing that anyone has ever done for me." I look up at him, feeling the tears pricking at my eyes. He looks so hopeful…so different from the Kyoya I knew when I first met him, even different from the Kyoya I've come to know. He's looking at me, even though we're surrounded by this beautiful sight. "Thank you…"

"So it's alright?" He asks, uncertainty coming back again. I hug him, wrapping my arms around him, hiding my face in his shirt. "Annie?"

"It's more than alright." I say, stepping back. I look around and see a bench, so I walk over and sit down. I lay the guitar case on the ground in front of me and pull out my old friend. "Any requests?"

"Anything you want." He says as he sits down next to me. I tune, glancing at him. He has such a placid expression. I strum a few times, making sure it's in tune. Now…what should I play? I feel like I should play something romantic, but would that be too stereotypical? He said anything I want…so I could be a total smart ass, but he's being so kind. I smile and begin playing My Heart by Paramore. I've sang it to him before, but I doubt he remembers…and if he does, then I doubt he minds.

"Was that…okay?" I ask as I finish. I'm almost afraid to look at him. I look over at him and he smiles.

"That was perfect." He says and then he frowns when his cell phone rings. "Just a moment…" He answers. "Hello?" He listens for a moment and then his smile returns. "Okay, we will be there soon." He hangs up. "Annie…Francois is here."

* * *

"Annie!" My little brother screams as he runs at me. I drop to my knees and catch him in my arms. I squeeze him tight, kissing all over his head. "I missed you so much! Maman said that we get to live here together for a while! She said that you were going to take care of me! She said that I'd get to go to a new school and meet all of your friends!"

"All of those things, baby." I say, trying to not cry. "You're going to love it here. Kyoya just took me to a place that has flowers like at home! I'm sure if you asked nicely, he would be willing to take us there sometime."

"Who is Kyoya?" He asks, taking a step back and looking at me. He looks around for the first time and looks up at Kyoya…he looks intimidated.

"No, baby." I say with a laugh. "Don't be afraid of him, he is a big softie." I stand up, keeping ahold of Francois' hand. "Kyoya, this is my brother Francois. Francois, meet my good friend Kyoya." Kyoya shocks me when he crouches down.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Francois." He says, shaking his hand. "Your sister is a very special person."

"She's a little weird, but I love her." He says and we both laugh. "Do you love her too? Like my Papa loves my Maman?"

"Francois." I chide him, giving his hand a little squeeze. "You can't just go around asking people you've just met that sort of question. I may have to tickle you for that." I say and he screams in delight and I start chasing him. I catch him quickly, lifting him into my arms. "Oh boy, you've gotten big."

"No no! Don't tickle me!" He begs and I laugh, choosing to hug him instead. I set him down, just to see Mr. Ohtori down the hall. "Sir." Francois bows, he must have been going through intensive training in this culture.

"Welcome to Japan, Francois." Mr. Ohtori says, a small smile on his lips. "Kyoya, I would like to speak to you in private."

"Of course, father." Kyoya says and he offers me a small smile before he walks away with his father.

"Kyoya's father is not like Papa at all." Francois says and I smile a little. "He's a little scary."

"Maybe just a little, but he is a good man. He is protecting us." I say as I take his hand. "Come on, let's go see if Hana can get some ice cream for us." I lead my brother to my room to find Hana putting my guitar away. "Hey Hana…this is my brother, Francois."

"It is a pleasure to meet you." She says as she bows to him. "My name is Hana. Is there anything that I can get for you?"

"We were just going to see if you might be able to sneak some ice cream for us." I say in a secretive tone.

"Of course, anything for the new arrival from France." Hana says as she bows. She exits my room and I lift Francois onto my bed.

"This place is so big." He says, looking around. "I'm afraid of being lonely here…" I smile at him, because he's so much like me.

"Of course not, Kyoya and I would never allow it. Mrs. Ohtori is also fun to be around…and Kyoya's sister when she's here. I'm afraid his two older brothers are a little intimidating though…and of course Mr. Ohtori is too." I say, sitting next to him. He crawls across the bed and hugs me again.

"I've missed you so much, Annie." He whispers. "But now I miss Maman and Papa." I hold him.

"I know, baby. I miss them too, but we will see them again someday. We are a family, aren't we?" I say and he nods. "Exactly. In the meantime, we can be happy here…we have each other and we always will." There is a knock on the door. "Yes?" I call and Mrs. Ohtori walks in.

"I heard that we have a new guest and I came to meet him." She says, her eyes dancing with kindness. Francois scrambles to get up and he bows respectfully.

"Thank you for letting me stay in your home." He says, his Japanese slightly flawed…I assume he'll have tutors.

"Of course." She says, crouching down to his level. "I heard that you met my youngest son, was he nice?"

"Yes, ma'am." He says, a little less shy this time. "Annie says that he will take us to see flowers."

"I said if you asked nicely, he would take you to see the flowers." I remind him and he blushes. "Oh, baby." I say, shaking my head. "Thank you…" I say, looking at her.

"Annie…I'm really sleepy." He says and I look at the clock. It is about the time where he would normally go to bed.

"It is your bedtime, and you've flown very far little one." I say and then I smile to Mrs. Ohtori. "I should probably help him get to bed."

"Of course, but I would like to talk to you when you get a moment." She says and I nod. She leaves us and I pick up Francois.

"Come on, let's find your room." I say and he nods, wrapping his arms around my neck and resting his head on my shoulder. I see a servant. "Hello." I smile. "I was wondering, where is my brother's room?"

"Oh, this way Miss." He says before he leads me down the hall and to a room. "We have unpacked his things already."

"Thank you." I say, opening the door and going inside. I set him down and go to the closet. I find some pajamas for him. "Alright, I want you changed and your teeth brushed in five minutes." I say sternly and he scrambles to do just that. I go about turning down his bed. I place his favorite stuffed animal, a dog named Jacques, on one of the pillows. I glance at my wash and he scrambles to my side, just barely making it. "Good boy." I say and then I lift him into the bed.

"Annie, will you tell me a story?" He asks and I smile as I tuck him in, handing him Jacques.

"Of course, what kind of sister would I be if I didn't?" I ask, sitting down next to him. "Let's see…once upon a time, there was a handsome prince. He was the bravest prince in all of France and everyone loved him very much. One day, a dragon was terrorizing a small town. So, they called upon the prince to rescue them! The prince went to their rescue, of course, because he was such a kind soul. When he got to the town, though, he discovered that the dragon wasn't actually mean. He just had a really bad tummy ache. So, he poured the dragon and giant glass of ginger ale and tucked him into bed so that he could feel better soon! Because the prince was able to save everyone, they threw a great big party in his honor! There was cake and ice cream and all of the fresh baked treats that you could possibly imagine." By the time I finish, he's asleep. I smile and kiss his forehead before I exit the room, leaving a couple of lights on. I find Mrs. Ohtori.

"Anya…" She says, looking up from some papers. "Please come in and have a seat…there's something very important that I need to speak with you about."

"Is everything okay?" I ask as I walk over and sit down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Is Francois…"

"Everything is fine and Francois was able to slip in undetected." She says, giving me a smile that calms my fears a little bit. "We have discovered something…and so we need you to make your decision as soon as possible. Meaning…you need to tell him…you need to announce it."

"I…what went wrong?" I ask, trying to stay calm. "I mean…why is it? Why are we rushing now?"

"I can't say…my husband just thought that it would be best if I were the one to speak with you about it, but things have changed." She says with a small smile. "What are you afraid of?" It isn't mean…it's the voice of concern.

"I'm afraid…that…I don't know…that something will go wrong. Now I'm especially afraid because Francois is here. I know that I am in danger and that my family is in danger and that you're the only ones who can save us." I say, the tears threatening to overtake my careful composition. "I'm afraid that Mr. Ohtori will get angry with me for something and then Francois and I will be thrown out and something bad will happen to him." I can't stop the sob. "He's at my side now, but I am so afraid of losing him again."

"That would never happen." Mrs. Ohtori says as she stands. She comes around the desk and she hugs me gently. "No, you have made everyone in this house care for you so greatly." She says with a laugh. "Even the stone hearted Yoshio Ohtori."

"And I'm seventeen…I'm not ready to get married. I want to go to college…I want to live my life." I can't hold back the waterworks now.

"Sweetheart," She says, all the comfort of a mother. "there was never a doubt that you would do all of those things. You will have a full life. You will get to see your parents again and you will get to gain even more family."

* * *

I walk out of Mrs. Ohtori's office, my eyes red and somewhat puffy. I walk down the hall towards my room, nervous. As I turn the corner, I see Kyoya leaning against my door. He looks at me, something odd in his eyes.

"Kyo…" I say as I get closer. He looks frightened, but that turns to concern as he takes in my appearance. "It was you." I sob and he comes over, confusion plain on his face. "It was always you." I hug him. "Always. I was always going to pick you." He doesn't say anything. "I'm so afraid of loving you, because it could all just go away and you could not like me anymore and then we would be miserable for the rest of our lives. I have to protect Francois regardless of if you love me or not. There has just never been a question. Please say something."

"Not out here." He says and we go into my room. I sit down on the couch, holding myself. The tears don't stop flowing, no matter how much I wipe my eyes.

"Kyo?" I ask, looking up at him. He doesn't really have an expression on his face. "Kyo…please."

"You've known the whole time." He says, coming and sitting down next to me, but not too close. I nod. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I…" I frown. "At first it was sort of a game…you had been so mean and so it was a way to get back at you…dangling myself in front of you like a carrot." I shake my head at my odd comparison. "Anyway…as time went on…I realized that I was actually in love with you…I was actually going to marry you someday and I got scared…I'm still scared. We're children, Kyoya…babies." I stand up and start pacing. "I spoke with your mother…and now I'm not as afraid…but now you're scaring me."

"You've known the whole time." He repeats, and I see touches of anger. "You've known…and yet you watched me sit here in anguish. You've seen how…how unreasonable you make me act."

"Kyo, please don't be mad." I say quietly. He looks up at me and the anger vanishes. "I'm so sorry for hurting you…but if it's any consolation I've been having panic attacks on an almost regular basis for the past two and a half months." I say and he stands up. "Generally in my daily showers after school. Those drawings Hikaru and Kaoru keep sending me are their design ideas for my wedding dress and I'm not ready to get married yet." Bigger tears roll down my face. "I want to be a person and not a vase."

"You're not going to be my fucking vase." He says and then he hugs me. "My wife, yes." He laughs then. "No matter how crazy you make me…how irrational you are sometimes…how grumpy you get and how often you take it out on me…I couldn't have asked for a better person to steal my heart."

"You're a sap." I say, starting to laugh. "You couldn't just say that you loved me?" I ask and he laughs too. He takes a step back and looks down at me.

"I…uh have something for you." He takes a box out of his pocket. "I know that you're not ready to get married yet and frankly neither am I. We have entirely too much to accomplish." He gets down on one knee, looking very uncertain. "Anya Marie-Sofie Masson, since you arrived in Japan you have opened my eyes. I…don't really know what to say except for thank you…because without you I wouldn't be the person I am or have the confidence to go after what I want out of life. Since I met you, you have successfully made me crazy with worry and I think that one of the only ways to make sure that I can protect you always is to make you my wife…so someday…not too soon, would you give me the tremendous honor of being by my side for the rest of our lives?"

"Yes." I whisper. He opens the box, having forgot to before and he takes out the delicate looking ring. He slides it onto my finger and stands up. I hug him and he holds me tight, shaking. "Don't be afraid…"

"I'm not." He says and we both laugh. I look up into his eyes. "I'm happy…really happy."

"I don't know what to do now." I say, laughing awkwardly. "This is…I don't…" And then he kisses me.


	12. Kissing Gourami

_Welcome, my lovelies, to chapter 12! I am so excited to have gotten this far already! I won't ramble on too long, but in case you forgot or ignored my previous statements, I have a Polyvore account pretty much dedicated to this story. The link is on my profile, so feel free to check that out if you want to see Anya's style! Enjoy the chapter! _

I wake up with a small pair of feet in my back. I roll over and glower lightly at the small blonde asleep next to me. I lean over and kiss his forehead as I crawl out of bed and go get in the shower. As I take off my pajamas, the glint of my ring catches my eye.

"Oh my god…" I gently remove the ring and retreat into the shower. I'm engaged to Kyoya…that actually happened. I shake my head and quickly wash my hair. If I dwell on it, I'll freak out. Live life normally. I finish with my shower and dry off. I pull on my silk robe and go to the closet. I pull on my uniform and some tights before I step into a shorter pair of boots. I go to my vanity and brush my hair and put some product in it. I go back to the bathroom and slide the ring onto my finger. I go over to the bed and lay down on my stomach next to my brother. "Francois…it's time for breakfast." I say, gently waking him up. He holds his arms out to me. I roll my eyes as I go around the edge of the bed and pick him up. He buries his face in my neck and I start walking towards the dining room.

"Good morning, Anya." Mrs. Ohtori says and I smile at her. I set Francois down in a chair and kiss the top of his head.

"What do you want? Toast or cereal?" I ask, pushing his hair out of his face. He points at the cereal. "Alright." I grab a bowl and pour it for him and then add the amount of milk he likes. "And which fruit do you want?"

"I don't want any fruit." He says and I give him a look, putting my hands on my hips. "You're so mean."

"Strawberries?" I ask, and he pouts. "Okay, I'll give you some blueberries too. And you'll eat all of them because you are always so good for me, even though I am the meanest sister in the whole world." I say, setting the plate down in front of him. "Juice?" The pout increases. "Ah of course, apple for the prince." I kiss him on the top of his head before I leave him to wake up and eat. "Good morning, Mrs. Ohtori." I say with a smile as I grab my own cereal and fruit.

"Good morning, Anya. Francois isn't a morning person, is he?" She asks and I nod, looking back to my little brother. "That's why you're so good with Kyoya."

"Well, to be fair, Kyoya is a little more reasonable than a pouty five year old…sometimes." I say and she laughs.

"I'm glad you think so highly of me." The dark lord says as he enters the dining room. He grabs some toast and plops down in a chair. I raise my eyebrows in acknowledgement as I glance over a newspaper.

"Don't be grumpy, I don't like being violent in front of my little brother." I say offhandedly and Mrs. Ohtori chuckles.

"There's the difference." She says, daintily sipping her coffee. Akito enters the dining room them. "Akito, I'd like to introduce you to Francois. Anya's younger brother."

"It's nice to meet you." Akito says as he sits down as well. Francois nods, playing with his cereal.

"Don't play with your food." I chastise, giving him a look. "Eat, I want to get you settled in before I have to leave for school."

"But, Anya, I want to spend time with you." He says in French and I smile softly. He sighs and takes a bite.

"Speak in Japanese, you need the practice." I say gently and he nods. "I want to spend time with you too, but I have to go to school. If you behave, I'll ask my friends if we can go to the aquarium together sometime soon. Would you like that?"

"Yes! Very much!" He says and then he begins shoveling his cereal into his small mouth. He finishes his cereal and then goes to stand.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" I ask and he groans, but starts eating his fruit…only more slowly.

"You sound like a mother." Akito notes, opting for toast like his brother. "Are you finished with that section of the paper?"

"Yes, do you want it?" I ask and he nods. "Francois, please pass this to Akito." I say and he does so. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Annie." He says and I smile. He's all good manners now that there's incentive. He finishes his fruit and then looks expectantly at me.

"Have patience, little one." I say and he pouts. I make a point of eating slowly, glancing at him every now and again. Finally, when he looks like he's about to explode, I finish. "Alright, let's go find Hana." I say, standing up. He holds his arms up to me and I shake my head. "No, you can walk."

"Fine." He pouts and takes my hand as he climbs off of the chair. We exit the dining room and I hear Akito bust out laughing.

"Shut up!" Kyoya exclaims and I laugh. We continue down the hall and Francois feels my left ring finger.

"Annie? What is that?" He asks, in Japanese like I'd asked him. I crouch down in front of him, fixing the collar on his pajamas.

"Well…in order to protect you and Maman and Papa…I've got to marry Kyoya, but it's okay." I say with a smile. "You asked him last night if he loved me like Papa loves Maman and I think he does. I definitely love him like Maman loves Papa."

"So…Kyoya is going to be my brother?" He asks and I nod. "I guess that's okay then…even though he's a little scary, he seems like he's really nice."

"He is." I say with a smile. I kiss his forehead and stand up. "Now, let's go see if Hana wants to draw a bubble bath for you."

* * *

"Tamaki, the plans are off." I say as I walk up, I do my best to look distraught. "I…I can't go through with our plans for the spring."

"What!? Why not!? What happened!?" Tamaki panics and I almost feel bad for driving him into a blind panic...almost.

"She's being sarcastic." Kyoya says and I can hear the eye roll on his tone. I look over at him, however, and he doesn't look grumpy.

"Oh, so you told him?" Tamaki asks, calming down. "Oh, now I have to cancel all of those plans."

"Was it going to be that big of a deal?" Kyoya asks, looking down at me and I shrug. "Let me guess, doves and flowers."

"Well, you know Tamaki. I had to….why is my hand being yanked?" I ask, stumbling a little as my left hand gets yanked.

"You're engaged!" Renge exclaims and I yank my hand back. "But to who?" I hide behind Tamaki.

"There will be a formal announcement later, as Miss Masson's family is in a bit of trouble right now." Tamaki says, holding up his hands to keep the evil 'manager' at bay. "Please, let us sort things out first."

"Please, Renge." I say, peeking out from behind him. "It…would be a lot easier on me if you just let things be for now."

"Alright, but I expect a full explanation later!" She exclaims before she heads off to class. I sigh, coming out from behind Tamaki.

"We dodged a bullet there. The Anya Annihilation Force would be after me in full swing if they found out just yet." I say and Kyoya sighs. "You're grumpy today. If anyone should be grumpy, it's me. Francois slept in my back last night."

"Just how much did I miss yesterday!?" Tamaki exclaims and Addie and the others walk up.

"Okay, short version. My brother is here and…" I hold out my left hand. Addie takes my hand and looks between Kyoya and I.

"Well damn…I thought I was ballsy last night." She says as she pats Kyoya on the shoulder. "I hope I get to meet Francois before I leave."

"Next order of business! I have a small Frenchman who wants to go to the aquarium with his cool big sister's friends." I say with a smile. "So, what do you guys say? Today after club?"

"That sounds good to me." Addie says and we look at everyone. "Okay, so we'll take the kid to the aquarium!"

"I wonder how jealous of a boyfriend he's gonna be." Hikaru says as he puts his arm around me at the same time as Kaoru and they start walking with me.

"Fiancé." I say, shaking my head at them. "Shouldn't you boys get to class? Haruhi needs someone to walk with."

"Gee, thanks Anya." Haruhi says as the twins tackle her. I laugh and begin walking with Addie. Takashi, Honey-senpai, Tamaki, and Kyoya are all walking behind us.

"So, I suppose you confronted your feelings." I say, folding my hands behind my back. I glance over at her and smirk as I see that she's pink. "Oh, this will be fun when you get back."

"Careful, girl, I've got ammunition too." She says with a smirk and we laugh together. "So how was it to see your brother?"

"I feel useful again." I say with a laugh. "At some point in the night he found his way to my room and crawled into bed with me. He's such a bed hog, I woke up with him in my back."

"Ah kids, wonderful little devils." Addie says and we reach our classroom. "I'll uh…be in there in a moment." I make kissy noises and she kicks my butt, I stumble and fall into the classroom laughing.

"Are you alright?" Kyoya asks as he helps me up. I smile up at him and he looks down at me, finally fully at peace.

"Yeah, I deserved it." I say as I rub the back of my neck. "My back really does hurt though. I hope my children will sleep nothing like that…snuggling is okay, just not the feet in the back and kicking. Cover stealing is also frowned upon."

"I take it Francois is a very restless sleeper, then." He says as we take our usual seats. I hum as I get my notebook out. I begin to copy the notes from the board. "You'll make fun of me for this later, but I really like seeing that." He says as he brushes his fingers across my left hand.

"You're right." I say, looking briefly at our hands before I go back to my note taking. "Do I need to have myself moved? I don't want you to mess up your future by being distracted by me."

"I think I'll be able to manage." He says dryly as he takes out his own notebook. "Anya…why didn't you tell me that those people were bothering you? That is was as bad as it was? This is really bothering me."

"Because I thought I could handle it on my own…I've been so lame since I got here I wanted to have control of a situation." I say and he makes a noise of disapproval. "I'll let you protect me, but I won't let you do everything for me, Kyo. I can't give you everything you want."

"You'll give me everything I'll need, which is all I can ask of you." He says softly and I blush. "I'm going to start keeping track of how often that happens now."

"That's creepy." I mutter, focusing in on my copying. He seems like he's about to respond, but the teacher calls the class to attention.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen." Tamaki says as he paces in front of us. "We are meeting here today to figure out a delicate way to let our dear customers know about Anya and Kyoya's engagement!"

"Hooray for Kyo-chan and Annie-chan!" Hunny-senpai exclaims, falling into my arms. "It's about time! I was getting tired of you two looking so sad all the time!"

"Right! Now, how should we go about this?" Tamaki asks as he paces back and forth in front of us. I look over at Kyoya, who doesn't look very interested as he types something on his laptop.

"Just let them have their fun, I've come up with something already." He says and I chuckle.

"Can't we do this later? Wouldn't it be more fun to meet Francois?" I ask and Tamaki perks up. "He's really looking forward to meeting you all, I called him at lunch."

"What are we waiting for then!?" Tamaki exclaims and he and the twins immediately begin planning the aquarium trip. It takes all of ten minutes. "Alright! You three will meet the rest of us at the aquarium in half an hour!"

"Alright." I say as I stand up. Kyoya follows suit, taking my bag from me. "See you guys then." I say and then we head out. "So…since we're engaged and stuff, does that mean we get to hold hands on a more frequent basis now?"

"If that is what you would like to do, I don't see a problem with it." He says and then he takes my hand. "I heard you talking with Francois this morning?"

"Which part?" I ask, looking up at him. He just smiles. "The part about my parents?" I ask and he nods . "Oh..."

"Don't be embarrassed…and I would have been more than happy to answer that question for myself last night." He says and I give him a look.

"Careful, I may decide to start wearing this as a necklace instead of on my hand. You wouldn't like that so much, would you?" I say and he frowns.

"It is a ring, meant to worn on your finger. If you would like a necklace, I can get you another one." He says and I smirk at him. "I can see why you don't like when I smirk."

"It isn't the smirk that I don't like. It's the effect it has on me, good or bad." I say and then I stretch. "And you're not going to turn into that guy who buys me things because I say something in passing. If I want something, I'm capable of obtaining it on my own."

"You always make sure that I know that." He says and his tone is amused. He's been pretty distant today…even after all that's happened. It makes me nervous. "What's the matter?"

"You haven't changed your mind, have you?" I ask, daring a glance up at him. He raises an eyebrow at me. "You've been acting weird all day."

"Well…there may be two reasons for that." He says and I gesture for him to continue. "The first is, I am somewhat upset with my father and I'm trying to not take that out on you. The second...we haven't talked about last night."

"I only haven't talked about last night because I don't want to be murdered…and I wanted you to be the one to say something first." I say, gesturing to myself defensively. "You've had many opportunities to bring it up today."

"I….well…" He starts and then he sighs. "What did you think?" He asks and I can't help the smile that forms on my lips. We reach the car and he opens the door for me.

"About which part?" I ask and he sighs again, looking at me in exasperation. "I don't know unless you tell me, Kyo."

"About all of it." He says and I can't help but laugh. "This isn't funny…why are you making fun of me?"

"I'm not making fun of you." I say, trying to stifle my laughter. "I think it's cute…you're nervous even though I've already said yes."

"I guess I mean more specifically…the uh…kiss." He says and I raise my eyebrow at him.

"I don't really have much to compare it to…but it was nice." I say with a smile. "Unexpected…but nice."

"Why would it be unexpected? I asked you to spend the rest of your life with me. What did you think we would be doing? Shaking hands?" He asks and I burst out laughing.

"Something like that." I say, taking his hand. "And why are you angry with your father?" I look up at him. "Come on, you can talk to me about it without taking it out on me."

"He was trying to force me into making you make a decision…that's the reason I had the ring on me last night." He says and I look up at him.

"Were you going to force me to answer?" I ask and he looks me in the eyes. I reach up and take his glasses off. "There…now I can really see them." I smile.

"No…I wasn't going to force you. I was going to ask you though…" He says and I smile a little.

"You really didn't know that I was going to pick you? The entire time?" I ask and he shakes his head. "You're silly."

"You're a special, condensed form of evil." He says and I narrow my gaze, drop his hand and turn away. "Oh come on…I was only joking."

"It's not a very funny joke. I am not condensed." I say and he just laughs. "I am evil…sometimes…but can you really call me evil after seeing me with my brother?"

"You don't fight fair." He says, taking my hand again. "I'm glad that you did pick me." He kisses the hand. I blush and he chuckles.

"Shut up." I grumble, then decide to be a little more mean. "I mean honestly, can you imagine me marrying Takashi? He treats me like a little girl."

"I hate how much sense it makes now that I know. How often you almost let it slip." He grumbles and I laugh. We pull up to the house and I get out of the car. Francois runs out the door and jumps into my arms.

"Oh, you're getting so heavy." I say as I spin around with him. "Are you ready to go to the aquarium?"

"Absolutely!" He exclaims and I begin walking, not so easily this time due to my back pain.

"Francois? Would you mind coming with me so that Annie can get ready to go?" Kyoya asks and I look over at him.

"Sure!" My brother exclaims, jumping out of my arms. He runs over to Kyoya and then stops shyly. "Uh…" Kyoya then picks him up.

"I know where the chef keeps the cookies." He says and then he walks away, disappearing inside the house. I shake my head and go to my room. I dress comfortably enough, opting to slip on a dress over my black tights so that I don't have to change everything. I put on my short boots and pull my hair into a pony tail. I toss my phone and some money into one of my cross body purses and head off in search of the two.

"Annie's the greatest. She kills spiders for me when Papa won't and she'll stay with me when Papa won't let Maman when I'm scared of the dark." My brother says as he kicks his feet. The kitchen staff is completely enamored with the little boy, as most people are. Kyoya stands next to him at the counter, munching on a cookie of his own. "You're really lucky that she loves you like my Maman loves my Papa. She's really good at killing spiders."

"Is she now? Your sister is very brave." Kyoya says and I smile. "She missed you quite a bit."

"Kyoya, you're spoiling him by speaking in French." I chastise as I walk over. "Are my lovely dates ready to go?"

"Always!" Francois yells, holding his arms out. Kyoya chuckles and picks him up. "Thank you for the cookies, Ringo!"

"Anytime." The friendly chef says and the three of us exit the kitchen. I make faces at Francois and he hides his face in Kyoya's shoulder.

"What's going on back there?" Kyoya asks and Francois giggles as I make yet another face at him.

"Absolutely nothing." I say before puffing out my cheeks and going cross-eyed. He turns around and I look at him normally. "What?"

"Annie's making faces." Francois says, telling on me. I'm really glad to see him so comfortable with Kyoya.

"I am not, why would you tell such vicious lies about me?" I ask, mocking a hurt tone. "Would I ever do such a thing?"

"Yes!" He exclaims and I laugh. "See? She's lying! Maman never believes me! Kyoya does though, don't you?"

"Absolutely, your sister is pure evil." He agrees and this time Francois makes a face at me.

"Hey, no fair turning my little brother on me." I say with a pout and Francois looks worried. I give him a smile though, to let him know that everything is okay.

"Please, Annie, you forget that I am a younger brother. I know of the mockery that poor Francois must go through." He says and Francois gapes at him.

"Annie isn't that bad! She just makes me listen and do well in school!" He defends me and Kyoya chuckles. We reach the car and he sets my brother down. He drags the door open and clambers in.

* * *

"Francois, look at these fish over here." Haruhi says, reading the panel. "It says, the kissing gourami are midwater omnivores. They feed on algae and other aquatic plants as well as insects on the surface."

"What is…omnomnomnivore?" Francois asks and I chuckle. "Omnivasaurus? That's not right either. Onminavore."

"Omnivore, it means that they eat both meat and plants." Haruhi says with a smile. "It looks like they're making a kissy face, can you see?" She asks and my brother stands on his tippy toes, holding onto the bar to get a better look. Tamaki looks like he could explode with how cute Haruhi is being.

"Hey! You're right!" He exclaims. "Annie! Do you see them?" He glances back at me and I nod. "Okay, we need to take Annie to see the dolphins now!"

"Your wish is our command!" Tamaki proclaims and leads us grandly through the aquarium. People stare at us, but mostly they don't look mean. We let Francois enjoy himself…and I try to stay relaxed.

"Francois!" I exclaim as he runs past another little girl and knocks her over. "You apologize and help her up this instant." My motherly voice comes out and he walks back over and helps the girl up.

"I'm sorry…I was excited about those fish over there." He says and the girl smiles at him.

"It's okay, do you want to go and look together? My name is Sakura." She says and he gets a big smile on his face.

"I'm Francois!" He exclaims and they run off together. I watch them, a smile on my face but then I sigh.

"One of these days…I'm going to be old and he's going to be interested in girls." I say sadly and Kyoya laughs at me. "What!?"

"You sound more like a mother than a big sister." He says and I look away. "It's okay…I think it's cute." Francois runs back up to me then and takes my hand.

"Annie, when I grow up can I study all the fishies?" He asks and I smile down at him. "Because I think that it would be really cool."

"What does Papa always tell us?" I ask and he looks away. "Francois, there is nothing on this Earth that we cannot do if we put our minds to it. If you want to study all of the fish, then you will study all of the fish. Though, last I recall you wanted to become a rock star."

"Only because I want to be like you when I grow up." He says and that brings a great big smile to my face.

"You think a little too highly of my singing, little one." I say with a shake of my head. "But if you truly want to be like me, you must stay little forever!" I exclaim, giving an evil laugh.

"Oh no! We'll save you, Francois!" The twins exclaim, and they do just that. Hikaru lifts my brother onto his back and Kaoru 'covers them' as they run off to look at more of the aquatic life forms all around us.

"He's a lot like you in the respect that he's good at making people care about him." Kyoya notes and I look up at him.

"It's the curly mop and the beautiful green orbs." I say, fluttering my eyelashes at him. "One look and they're all goners."

"I can't argue." He says and I look around, my eyes fall on Takashi and Addie…they're standing close to each other, holding hands. Addie's head is rested against his arm. They're probably talking about Addie leaving soon…I know that the gentle giant is apprehensive. We both know that she doesn't want to be in movies anymore… "Annie?"

"Hmm?" I ask, looking up at Kyoya. "What? Do I have something on my face?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"No, I'm just always curious as to what's going on in that head of yours. I sometimes have a hard time reading your face." He says and I smirk.

"Good. Half the fun is in the chase." I say and he squeezes my hand. "Don't try to assert dominance now, you're wrapped around my finger and you love it."

"I just want to see you smile." He says and I narrow my eyes at him. "That had the opposite effect."

"You think?" I ask, trying to let go of his hand, but he won't budge. "Hey…what do you think you're doing?"

"Holding my fiancé's hand." He says, regarding me with fake concern. "That is alright, isn't it? I mean, even though we did sort of skip the whole dating portion of our courtship."

"Courtship? What is this? The seventeen hundreds?" I ask with a laugh. "You can hold my hand, Kyoya, and I don't want to just be your fiancé I want to be introduced as 'Anya Masson, my fiancé' to all of your friends and colleagues who I have yet to meet." I say with all of my dignity. "And I'm thinking of hyphenating my name."

"That would be a mouthful." He says and then he smirks. "Anya Marie-Sofie Masson-Ohtori."

"Or maybe you should take my name." I say, not really serious. "Kyoya Masson. It has a nice ring to it."

"You're joking." He says and I smirk. "Anyway, if you truly want to hyphenate your last name, then I cannot argue with you."

"What don't you hyphenate your name? I-" I stop midway through my sentence as I hear my brother crying. My eyes dart around the room before I spot him. I run over and sit down at his side. "What's the matter, little flea?" I ask comfortingly in French.

"My ankle, I tripped and it hurts." He cries, throwing his arms around my neck and crying.

"Let's have a look, shall we?" Kyoya asks, sitting down at my brother's feet. Francois tries to draw away. "I promise I won't hurt you."

"It's okay, Francois, Kyoya comes from a family of doctors." I say comfortingly. "And besides, I can't take a look because you won't let go of me."

"Okay…" He says and then he lets Kyoya take off his shoe and check his ankle. "Is it broken?"

"No, you're fine." Kyoya says, replacing his shoe. "All you need to do is be more careful."

"Yes, or else the tickle monster is going to visit you. Don't scare me like that." I chide him as we stand up. "Besides, I thought you were taking me to see the dolphins."

"I totally forgot!" He exclaims and then he looks to Takashi. "Takashi! Will you help me find the dolphins?!"

"Sure." Takashi says a small smile on his face. "Adelaide can help us find them as well." Francois jumps, his hurt ankle completely forgotten.

"Do you want to ride on my back?" Addie asks and she looks like she's on cloud nine. Francois runs over to her and she crouches down so he can climb on. "Hold on tight, we don't want to give Annie a heart attack."

"She'll be fine!" He exclaims, climbing on. I smile as Addie stands and starts running around, pretending to be a dinosaur with him.

"She wants boys, Takashi." I say, nudging him with my elbow. "I hope you can deliver." He turns a faint shade of pink and I laugh.

"So now that you guys are engaged, does that mean we can stop being secretive about your dress?" Hikaru asks and I give him a stern look.

"Of course not, do you want to curse my marriage? And besides, it isn't happening for at least four years." I say, putting my hands on my hips.

"Fine, fine. It's going to get more difficult as time goes on, though." He says and I shrug. "You're killing me, I have all of these great ideas."

"Yes, yes, I know my little flea." I say, tickling under his chin. "We want it to be perfect though…and we'll get there. What time should I come over on Saturday?"

"Whenever, just text me before you do." He says and I shrug. "We're gonna go play with Francois and Addie now." Then they're gone…each and every one of them is doing their best to entertain my brother, even Haruhi who is normally very apathetic during our group outings.

"They like him more than they like me." I say with a slight frown. "You want to go and play too? I'll learn to knit or something and just sit here."

"They don't like him better than they like you." Kyoya says, chuckling at me. "I think they're trying to give us alone time."

"I guess." I say, pouting. "As long as he's having a good time…I don't want him to have the time to miss our parents. So if this is what it takes, I'll do it every day."

"What about you? I've noticed you're walking strange. Is it your back?" He asks and I shrug. "Annie, you need to communicate these things. Do you want to sit down somewhere?"

"It's fine, Kyo." I say, smiling. "Don't get frantic. We should catch up with them." I start walking, pulling him by the hand. "Oh, by the way, what's your idea for announcing the big news?"

"There's going to be a formal announcement soon enough, so we should just let it happen naturally." He says and I shrug. "I have a few concerns…"

"Please submit your grievances to the office of not tired Annie and we will do our best to come up with a solution to your problems as soon as possible." I say, wanting to avoid problems.

"That won't work, see as though she's never in, so I thought that I would voice them to tired Annie while she's in and not Grouchy Annie who will be in later." He says and I give him a look. "As your fiancé, you need to tell me if anyone is bothering you. It isn't you sitting back and letting someone else handle your problems. They were causing you actual, physical harm and then what almost happened at the ball…"

"Kyo…" I say gently. "They haven't bothered me since then…I haven't even seen any of them around." That's when it dawns on me. "You had them kicked out, didn't you."

"Your safety is more important to me than a few clients to the host club." He says and I wipe away fake tears. "You're hilarious."

"I know…but that's one of the reasons you love me. If I weren't exactly how I am, you would be bored and think of me as one of the mindless zombie daughters that you had the potential of being married off to." I say in a matter of fact tone. "So you have no choice but to cherish every single thing about me. From my bad moods to my terrible jokes to my tendencies towards being a little too self-sacrificing, you have to accept it all."

"You forgot to mention the good parts." He says and I shrug. "I suppose it's only fair, you have to put up with me not being a morning person."

"That's hardly anything new, Francois can be a little devil in the morning. I often walk away with bruises as well as back pain. I suppose I should start making him sleep in his own bed." I say thoughtfully. "It's time I think…we may have to bar the door."

"Don't tell me you'll be one of those mothers who lets her children sleep in bed with her as well." He says, looking at me.

"What? You not excited to share me with someone else?" I ask and he sighs. "Kyoya, you act like we're going to start a family tomorrow."

"The way you've been lately in talking about it, I've been a little afraid actually." He says and I laugh. "Earlier, Hikaru and Kaoru made me realize something."

"What's that?" I ask, walking backwards while still holding his hand. "Don't stop me, I like watching you when you speak. It lets me know what you're really thinking."

"I am the jealous type." He says with a laugh. I groan. "I'm sorry, I never realized it before because you're the only girl I've ever been attracted to ."

"It's okay, I hated watching it when you hosted. It made me want to yank them by their hair and bake them into pies Sweeney Todd style." I say before turning back around to walk normally. "It may be the reason I marry you sooner."

"You know, Tamaki was planning on starting a club when we get into University." Kyoya says and I stop. "I'm joking." He says, actually laughing at me. "It's fun to tease you like that."

"You're in trouble now." I say in a sing song voice. "I will tease you mercilessly. Taking advantage of the effects I have on you…"

"Challenge accepted." He says, leaning down and kissing me on the cheek. That is met by the whole host club oohing and ahhing at us. Kyoya just rolls his eyes at them and we keep walking. Maybe things will start to get better now…I am, after all, a very important asset to the Ohtori's now.


	13. Physical Aspects

_Hello! Welcome to chapter 13, please sit back and prepare to enjoy the sweetness that is Kyoya and Anya. I decided that we all needed a stint of Cute Kyoya and Anya, so enjoy it! I'll stop blabbering and just gently remind you that I would love to hear what you guys think of the story so far! We're about half way there! What do you think is going to happen? I'd love to see what you guys think based upon what's happened so far! _

"Kyoya! Look!" I exclaim as I point out the window. He jumps, nearly banging his head. "It's snowing!"

"I see that, it generally does in this area at this time of the year." He says dryly before he rests again. I sigh and fall back in the seat, somewhat dramatically. "Oh dear, don't tell me you're bored."

"I'm unreasonably bored because someone I know decided to stay up extra late last night reworking the budget because two certain people that we know very well decided to get engaged." I say, throwing my arm across my eyes. "Thus ruining the beginning of my very first class trip."

"Ruining?" He asks, and I nod, not looking at him. He leans over and kisses my cheek. "I'm sorry. Those two people just couldn't have waited."

"I know." I say as I sit up. "I'm really sad that Addie couldn't come with us. This would have been the perfect opportunity to tease her mercilessly without getting that disapproving look from Takashi."

"Look on the bright side, she won't be able to tease you mercilessly in return." He says, now actively trying to stay awake.

"I really hope that you get some sleep tonight. You've got to teach me to snowboard." I say and he sits up straight. "I'm kidding! But I do want to learn how to ski."

"I can hire an instructor for you…it won't be too hard." He says and I frown. "What is it?"

"I want YOU to teach me how to ski." I say, poking his nose. "It's another one of those silly notions I have about being a cute couple."

"They're not silly, maybe a little unnecessary sometimes, but I can teach you how to ski." He says and I smile. This brings causes him to smile.

"Hold still…" I say as I take his glasses off. He goes to take them. "No…still." I say leaning in towards his face, a look of puzzlement on my own. After a moment of examining his face, I gently peck him on the lips before I replace his glasses and retreat to the other side of the car.

"You're very cute." He says and I smile, but continue to look out the window. "I have a favor to ask of you."

"What's up?" I ask, turning and looking at him finally. He actually looks really worried by whatever it is. "Kyo?"

"Please stay safe…my father has told me some very concerning things and I probably couldn't stand to lose you at this point." He says gently. "Also…wear your locket."

"I do on most days, but if it will make you feel better, I'll never take it off." I promise and he smiles. "And what things?"

"I won't worry you with the details." He says and I frown. "Also, I feel as though I should warn you that the announcement has been made."

"Oh boy…" I sigh. "The important question I need to ask you then is, did you pick out the ring? Because they'll be dying to know."

"Yes…" He says with a smile. "You've never told me, do you like it?" He asks and I raise one eyebrow at him.

"Of course I do…it suits me. And you remembered that I don't like gold." I smile and he laughs, taking my hand again.

"How could I forget? The hour long rant you had about it is something that I will never forget." He says and the car stops. "We're here."

"Finally!" I exclaim, jumping out of the car. My hood gets flipped up and I glare at the only person who could be responsible from around the fur.

"I don't want you to catch a cold. Watch out, here they come." He says and then I am bombarded by all of the girls from class 2-A.

"How long have you two been engaged!?" One girl, her name might be Kasami, asks as she takes my hand.

"About a month and a half." I respond shyly and they all start going on and on about it. I look back at Kyoya and he smiles.

"Is it a love match? I know that you guys were sort of arranged, but you know…do you love him?" Another girl asks, Tsubasa is her name.

"I heard that you had to pick between Kyoya and Mori-senpai! How could you possibly choose? They're both so handsome!" Some girl, I don't even know her name, exclaims from somewhere in the crowd.

"Kyoya and I have a very interesting relationship…he gets me. Takashi has sort of been like a big brother to me since I got here, and so it was an easy choice from the beginning." I say, and they squeal with delight.

"Did he pick the ring out himself?" Kairi asks and I nod. She smiles at me and I'm glad that she agreed to be my roommate for the trip. "I always knew you were in love with him."

"So what?" I ask, trying to hide my face. I don't know why I feel painfully shy about this all of a sudden.

"Why did you guys hide it for so long?" Kasami asks and I smile a little bit. Should I be honest? They might appreciate that…

"Honestly? I was kind of afraid of how everyone would react…I mean with Kyoya being part of the host club and everything, I didn't want to hurt the friendship that you guys have with him just because I did a silly thing like falling in love." I say and everyone immediately denies it.

"The only people that would have a problem left after that stupid stunt they pulled at the Halloween ball! We've all sort of wanted to see you two together for the longest time! There's just something about the look that Kyoya gets when you're around that makes my heart melt! It makes me want to fall in love!" Tsubasa says, clasping her hands together. "What I'm curious to know is how you can stand that he's in the host club!"

"To be fair, I am too." I say with a laugh. "But I guess I just trust him entirely, I kind of have to." I shrug.

"That's so cute, Anya!" Kasami says, pulling me in for a hug. I'm shocked at first, but I smile and hug her back. "When are you guys going to get married?"

"Oh…we're playing that by ear. We both have too much that we want to do before we settle down." I say and you would think that I were their god or something.

"Ladies, hadn't we better get inside out of the snow?" Kyoya gently says and I laugh. "We don't want to catch colds, do we?"

"Absolutely not! I am here to learn how to ski!" I say, pumping my fist in determination. "Let's go and have hot chocolate." The girls all file forward towards the ski lodge and I hold out my hand for Kyoya.

"Gloves first." He says and I roll my eyes as I pull on my gray gloves. He takes my hand and we walk together towards the lodge. "That went better than you expected."

"You knew that they were okay with it…" I say, looking up at him and he shrugs. "I guess I didn't trust that they'd be okay with it."

"It's not like they have a choice." He says, his hold on my hand tightening a little. "I wouldn't let them influence my bigger life decisions. But…about the club…"

"No." I say firmly. "I enjoy the baking too much. I told you, I'm the jealous type too, so you'll just have to live with it." He sighs. "My decision is final. About staying in the club and you, so….whatever."

"Alright, you win…for now." He says and then he holds the door to the lodge open for me. I pull my hood down and unzip the pink coat after taking off my glvoes. He gently helps me out of it. "You said you wanted hot chocolate?"

"I'd prefer coffee." I say and he smiles. "Come on, I've been so good. I'm starting to think you lied to me about trying to get the caffeine ban lifted."

"Actually…the ban has been lifted since before we got engaged." He says and I gape at him, like a fish. "I wanted to see how long you could go."

"You evil bastard!" I shout in French and people turn and look at me. That word they know…but only because it's a type of bread. "Sorry…" I say sheepishly and a few people laugh. I march over to the barista. "I'd like a mocha with a double shot of espresso." I say and he nods, a little scared by how demanding I am. "Thank you." I add. Kyoya slides his card across the counter and I glare up at him. "You've seen me suffering and you've been laughing behind my back this entire time." I'm handed my coffee and I take a careful sip.

"Will you ever forgive me?" He asks and I shake my head. "It was cute when you were that tired." He tries a different approach.

"Since when is sleep deprivation cute?" I ask and he chuckles. That word he has become familiar with. "I can't believe you would withhold something that important from me…"

"Well, at least I know that you can live without being dependent on caffeine." He says and I huff, walking over and sitting down on a couch. Kyoya sits next to me, producing a book from seemingly nowhere. "Even if you don't forgive me, I'll still love you."

"Oh, I'll love you. I just won't forgive you." I say, crossing my legs and kicking my foot in agitation. I sip on my coffee, careful not to burn myself. Tamaki enters then, pulling his hat down.

"Sorry I'm late everyone! I had a hard time saying goodbye to Antoinette!" He says, and all of the girls swoon. "Kyoya! My friend, congratulations on your engagement!" He walks over. "And Annie!" He pulls me up off of the couch and into a hug. "It's so good to see two of my best friends so happy together!"

"She's not so happy right now." Kairi says with a chuckle. At some point, she had come to sit with us. "She just called Kyoya an evil bastard for some reason."

"He just told me that he didn't tell me that I could have caffeine again." I mutter darkly and Tamaki laughs, in good spirits as usual. "I don't think important aspects of my life should be laughed about, Tamaki."

"I'm laughing because I told him that you would be angry." He says and my glare focuses on him.

"You knew about it…and you didn't tell me?" I say and he shrinks back. I sit back and continue to sip my coffee. "So, Kairi, I read an article on the way over. How do chocolate face masks sound to you?"

"They sound delicious." She says as she turns the page in her book. "I brought some Oreos that my brother sent me from America, I'll share them with you."

"You're my kind of roommate." I say, nodding in appreciation. "Has there been any progress with Rafael?"

"His name is Michelangelo." She says, trying not to laugh. "And no…nothing yet. You and Adelaide are weird."

"We are telling you, he acts more like the red ninja turtle than the orange." I say and then we laugh together. I lean back on Kyoya's arm in a very inconvenient way. "If she were here, she would be lecturing you right now."

"I know, but I've got you to fill the void." She turns the page as she speaks. "Are you comfortable?"

"Nah, I've got a stick in my back." I say, moving my shoulders in a false attempt at getting comfortable.

"I could move…" Kyoya says and I almost spill my coffee when I turn around to try and make him stay.

"No! I'm cold." I say and he settles back down, shaking his head. I lean against his arm again and Kairi is shaking her head.

"I'm going to go and check out the room." Kairi says as she stands up. "I'll see you later, Anya."

"Bye, Kairi." I say, offering a wave as she walks off. "I like her." I note, wiggling my shoulders again.

"She seems to be a good influence on you." He says and I dig my back into his arm which is a mistake. "Stop it before you hurt yourself."

"Don't imply that I'm no good." I say before I sit right and take out my cell phone. "I wonder how Francois is doing. He's going to be so upset that I left without saying goodbye."

"We waited as long as we could…you tried to wake him." He says comfortingly. "He'll forgive you." My phone rings then.

"That's probably him now." I say, answering the phone and holding it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Annie!" Francois wails and it breaks my heart. "How could you leave me without saying goodbye! You promised you wouldn't do it ever again!" His words hit harder than he probably even meant.

"I know baby…" I say in French. "I am so sorry, but I had to leave…I tried to wake you up but you wouldn't." I say, hoping that no one notices the quiver of my voice. "Did you get the gift I left for you?"

"Yeah…" He says, sniffling now. He's calmed down a little bit…Hana must be sitting with him, helping to calm him down.

"Francois, I am so sorry." I say, and I really feel like I'm going to start crying. "Talk to Kyoya for a moment, someone needs me." I toss the phone to a confused Kyoya and I drink deeply from my coffee mug. I hear him talking, but I don't hear what he's saying. He's guiding me up gently and we go into another room.

"Francois, listen, we need to go because our teacher needs to speak with us. I promise that Annie and I will call back soon, okay?" He says and then he smiles. "I'll let her know…she loves you very much. Bye bye." He hangs up and then he looks at me. "You know he didn't mean anything by it."

"I know." I say, resting my forehead on his chest. He lifts my chin so I can see him. "Kyoya…it broke my heart leaving him like that the first time. My heart can't take much more of this."

"I know." He says and then he lays a gentle kiss on my forehead. "I can't promise you that it will ever be over, but I promise I won't let anything hurt you or Francois."

"He loves you so much." I say, smiling. "Maybe even more than he loves me." He shakes his head. "It's close."

"Never. We just agree on one simple thing." He says and I tilt my head to the side. "You're the best singer in the world."

"Now you're dreaming." I say with a roll of my eyes. "I'm not that great. You are blinded by the curly mop and green eyes."

"Your hair is not a mop." He laughs, looking so serene….and not the fake serene that he always showed to the guests at the club. "I never thought that I would love something about a person like their hair…but I do."

"Enjoy it now, whenever we do get around to having children it will either have puke in it all the time or I'll have to get it cut off." I say and he makes a face. "That was cute."

"I must agree with Hikaru. Puke is not a very lady like word." He says and I raise my eyebrow at him.

"Well, I hope you're not gonna marry me because you think I'm lady like all the time." I say as I begin heading back towards the main room. "You will end up being very surprised."

"I'm always surprised when it comes to you." He says dryly and I stretch. "This is why I'm going to ask you ahead of time to be my date to the dance this coming Friday, instead of just assuming."

"Good." I say with a smirk. "I'll…think about it." He gapes at me. "You'll just have to prove to me that you'll be a worthy date." I shrug. "I'll see you at dinner." I pat his cheek gently before I take my coat from the peg it is located on and head to my room that I share with Kairi.

* * *

"So, a lot has changed hasn't it? In all the years I've been in the same class as Kyoya, I've never seen him look quite the way he does with you." Kairi says, munching on an Oreo.

"It has…he hated me so much when he first got here, but not because of me…it's complicated. Uh, his dad wanted him to make me fall in love with him and he didn't want to do that. I mean, it's both nice and offensive at the same time, because what's wrong with me?" I shake my head. "Anyway, he didn't count on the fact that he'd fall in love with me. He was such a jerk until I had a doctor's appointment that made me realize I hadn't been eating properly…and when he found out he was pissed…like royally pissed. He pulled me aside to talk to me and the others all thought he was going to murder me."

"Wait, what do you mean you weren't eating properly? Anytime I've seen you eat, you eat like you've got six stomachs." She says and I laugh. One of the reasons I love Kairi is because she does not bull shit.

"The first couple of months I was so stressed out that I wasn't eating, and I lost a lot of weight. We didn't really start talking until after that, when Addie got here." I say and she shrugs. "I mean, obviously I gained it all back and then some unfortunately."

"Oh shut up." She says with a roll of her eyes. "Can I see the ring again?" She asks and I get up and go over to her, sitting next to her on the bed. "It's really beautiful."

"I know…" I say with a smile. I then pull out my phone. "The Hitachiin twins are designing my dress…for whenever I decide I'm ready to actually get married. These are some of the drawings." I say, showing her a couple of the drawings. "They're good…but we haven't exactly figured out THE dress yet."

"I'm so excited for you." She says with a smile. "You look so happy." I blush and go to hide my face, but I don't want to touch the face mask. I guess the blush is hidden then.

"Everything is falling into place…the only thing missing is my parents." I say sadly. "Other than Kyoya and Francois and the rest of my life here, everything is kind of a mess right now."

"I wish that there was some way I could help." She says, frowning. The timer goes off and we both stand up. I take off my ring and set it on my nightstand before I go to the bathroom. We wash the chocolate off of our faces. "Wow…my face is so soft now."

"Shut up, your skin was soft before." I say, giving her a look. "It does feel really nice though. The puffiness around my eyes looks better."

"We should go to bed. You've got ski lessons in the morning." She says and I laugh, hiding my face now. "Don't worry, I'll take Addie's position and make fun of you for falling."

"Such friendship." I say, sliding my ring back into place as I crawl into bed. Kairi shuts out the light in the bedroom portion, but leaves the bathroom light on. "Thanks…" I say sheepishly.

"Mhmm…no probably scaredy cat. Now go to sleep." She orders and we laugh, before we settle down and go to sleep.

* * *

"Anya…I promise I won't let you get hurt." Kyoya says, trying to get me to stand up. I lean back, trying to get him to release his pull on my hand. He sighs and sits down next to me. "What's the problem? I thought you wanted to learn to ski."

"I changed my mind." I say, fighting off the shudder induced by the thoughts of the dream that I had last night. "Can we go ice skating instead? I know how to do that and I'm actually good at it."

"Maybe after you tell me what has you so afraid now." He says and I sigh, leaning my head back.

"I had a dream that I got impaled by one of the pole things and died." I say and he laughs. "Now I'm definitely not doing it." I say as I stand up and tromp towards the lodge.

"Annie…" He says, trying to stop laughing. "Please…I'm sorry for laughing." He takes my hand. "You were just so excited about it yesterday and now you're the polar opposite."

"I'm scared and you think it's funny." I say, lifting my chin and looking away from him. "I don't even want to ice skate with you now."

"Yes you do." He says, leading me towards the rink. "Come on…then we can go inside and get coffee together."

"Fine." I say, sitting down. "I assume you know what size skates I need….stalker." I fold my arms across my chest and he smiles before he goes to get skates for us. He comes back and I take the white skates from him and pull off my boots. I put them on and lace them up quickly and accurately. I glance over and see Kyoya hesitating. "Do you need help?"

"I hate to admit it…but probably. It's been a long time." He says and I smile as I stand up and crouch in front of him. I begin lacing them.

"Is this too tight?" I ask and he shakes his head. "Alright…" I tie them off and stand up. I hold out my hand to him and we go out onto the ice. "What few people realize about me is that I'm very athletic. I dabbled in ice skating for quite a while, I was pretty good."

"I know you are, remember that stunt you pulled jumping out of your window?" He asks dryly and I smile. "Don't let me hold you back, have fun." He says and I lean up and kiss his cheek.

"I just need to get my sea legs, and then I'll be back to make sure you don't break anything, I'll need you in tip top shape." I say and then I skate off. Right now, we're the only ones out here. I build up my speed….and then I start to show off. I do some of the tricks that I remember…it's nothing too fancy. I finish the small impromptu routine and skate back over to my very much impressed fiancé.

"I'm intimidated by you now." He says and I smile, taking his hands as I skate backwards. "Be careful…"

"You don't need to tell me." I say with a laugh. "You're really uncomfortable, so we need to get you relaxed. The ice is your friend."

"My slippery friend who wants to see me fall." He mutters and I laugh again. "Now you're making fun of me."

"Only because you have a tendency of insulting things you're not comfortable with." I say and he glowers at me. "Oh you're so cute when you're grumpy." I glance behind me. "Look, we've almost made it around the entire rink and you haven't fallen once." No sooner than I speak, he wobbles and falls backwards, pulling me over with him. I fall on top of him and there is a moment of silence before we both start laughing.

"Are you okay?" He asks, looking into my eyes and then searching the rest of me for signs of distress.

"Yes, I'm fine." I say as I carefully get up. "Now you." I am able to help him stand successfully.

"Why don't I just watch?" He asks and I frown. "I don't want that to happen again, Anya…I could have hurt you."

"I fell on top of you." I say, raising my eyebrows at him. "Just pretend to not like me anymore, then maybe you won't mind a couple of bruises."

"Now I definitely can't." He says, trying to take his hand away from me. I grab onto it with both of my hands and push off, skating backwards towards the middle of the rink. "Annie…"

"Kyo." I say, challenging him. "I'm not afraid of falling…this is now a metaphor for life. I can't let you not do something because you're afraid."

"I'm not afraid." He says and I look at him dubiously. "I'm not." He's firm in his beliefs. I let go of his hand then and begin to skate around him.

"I guess you'll have no problems going back by yourself then." I say, folding my arms behind my back. I stop a few feet away from him.

"Anya…" He says and I look at him, certainly the image of relaxation. "Annie, please." He says and I smirk.

"Kyoya, you can't not do something just because you're afraid of falling. You were doing so well…you were going to propose even before you knew." I say, putting a hand over my heart. "And you could have fallen so hard."

"Yes, but if you'll kindly remember that you told me before I asked that it had been me all along." He says and I shrug.

"Technicalities. There will be many things that you'll be unsure of. Whether or not it will be wise for our family to go after the position of patriarch. Almost any decision you make concerning me. Fatherhood." I say and he looks at me dubiously.

"Ice skating is hardly the same thing…" He says as he reaches for me. I push off with my skates and back away. "Annie…"

"It may not be exactly the same thing, but I'm not going to let you give up because it's scary. If I did that, then we wouldn't be so happy together right now." I say and he sighs. "Unless you're not happy…I'm sure there's a line of boys who are jealous that you got to put a ring on it." I'm skating circles around him now. He reaches for me, daring to skate a little. "I want the best of everything for you." I say, moving away again. "Even if you're angry with me because it isn't the easiest way. I will always push you to be the best version of yourself that you can be." I don't stop skating. I hear him gaining the confidence, skating after me a little before he stops again. I skate by him, just close enough to brush his fingers with my own. He grabs my hand and pulls me into him. I look up at him, a smile of intrigue on my lips. He gently tugs the hair tie from the end of my braid.

"That's better…you may continue skating circles around me now." He says, running his fingers through to loosen the plaits. I shiver as he reaches the back of my head. I smirk before I whip around, successfully flipping my hair at him and start skating again.

"You're rotten." I say, shaking out my hair, this causes me to shiver again as the cold air touches the back of my neck. He laughs nervously, following me around the ice.

"Are you cold? We can go back in." He says, innocently and I shake my head at him. "I'm not going to lie…after not having the upper hand it was nice to get that kind of a reaction."

"People touch my hair, just never that close to my neck. It tickled." I say before I spin around. "I'm ridiculously ticklish. I'm fearful of the day that Francois is stronger than me, because as he loves being tickled, I hate it."

"I remember, you nearly sustained a concussion and gave Hikaru a broken nose." He says and then skates up next to me and holds out his hand. I stop showing off and take his hand. "Are you sure that's the only reason though?"

"I'm sticking to it." I say and he laughs. We skate together in silence for a while…and honestly it's really nice.

"Anya?" He asks, and I look up at him. He looks nervous. "I…feel like I should ask you…where do you stand on the more physical aspects of our relationship?" I fall over then, sliding across the ice. He panics, skating over to me. "Are you alright!?"

"What do you mean physical aspects? Not until…" I must be bright red at this point. Realization dawns on him and he turns a nice shade of tomato red.

"I didn't mean….THAT." He says after coughing and then we both start laughing. "Are you okay?" He helps me sit up.

"I didn't hit my head too hard…but I'm thinking if we're going to talk about that kind of stuff we should not be skating." I say as I stand up, he helps as much as he can. His fingers gently prod the back of my head. "It's not tender."

"I'm sorry for frightening you like that." He says, embarrassed. I smile and take his hand. We skate towards one of the exits.

"And…if by physical aspects you mean uh, kissing…then I am fine with it." I say, looking up at him. "More than fine with it but…nervous."

"Okay…" He says, smiling softly at me. "I'm a little nervous too." We make it back to where our shoes are and we change back into them. "I thought you didn't like wearing pink…it's been bothering me."

"I normally don't, but the twins have a fetish for me in pink." I say, tugging at my coat. "This is the warmest coat that was snuck into my suitcase." He shakes his head. "It's okay, Kyoya, they only like dressing me."

"Good to know." He says, catching the double meaning behind my words. "Even then, I hope you're the one who does that part."

"If it's any consolation. The only people who have ever seen my body either completely naked or almost are Addie, Hana, and my mother." I say, just to get the reaction out of him. "I mean, of course there's the doctor who delivered me, but I don't think that counts too much."

"You're trying to get me back for scaring you on the ice." He states and I shrug. "I really am sorry about that…but I agree with you…not until…"

"Good." I laugh. "No matter how tempted you are." I flip my hair. "Hey, give me back my hair tie."

"No, I like it much better this way." He says and I frown. We enter the ski lodge. "You can find us a seat, I'll get the coffee."

"A double shot." I say, giving him a withering look. I go over to the couch closest to the fire and take off my coat. I take my phone from my pocket and text Addie about what just happened.

"One caffeine filled nightmare." Kyoya says, sitting down next to me. "They have a piano over there…"

"I see that." I say like I'm talking to a child. "It's a very pretty piano." He gives me a look. "I assume you want me to play it."

"What if I sang with you?" He asks and I raise my eyebrows at him. "I'm serious…if you'll play, I'll sing with you."

"I didn't know that you could sing." I say, my face frozen in shock. "Why would you want to do that to me? You know I'm embarrassed of singing in public."

"Then just sing to me." He says, standing up. "Please…there aren't many people here." I sigh and stand up.

"I can't fucking believe you." I mutter, walking over to the piano. He smiles, following me. "Do you know Baby It's Cold Outside?"

"Mhmm…" He says, sitting down next to me. "It's okay." I play a few keys before I begin. I can't say that it's perfect, but as we continue singing it gets better. By the time the song is over, we have a crowd. I flush scarlet and drink deeply from my coffee mug.

"I've got to go do a thing." I say as I stand up and scurry away, ignoring everyone calling after me. I stare out the window, my arms folded across my chest. I take deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

"I'm sorry for pushing you." Kyoya says as he walks up. "To be fair, we all thought you were wonderful."

"That's the problem, now people will pester me." I say with a small laugh, I don't look at him though. "I shouldn't let you have that much of an effect on me. I should have just let myself be curious."

"Curious about what?" He asks, standing next to me, searching for whatever my gaze is focused on.

"You singing." I say with a small smile. "Or I should have made you sing for me." I smirk now.

"I'm not sure how much luck you would have had with that." He mutters and I shake my head.

"Oh and you thought I wouldn't notice, but that was only a single shot of espresso. You also had him put a different sort of milk." I say, turning to look at him finally. "Don't mess with my coffee, evil bastard."

"It was worth a shot." He says and then he puts his arm around me and we look out the window together. "You make me dream like I did when I was a kid."

"Were you this much of an ass as a kid?" I ask, glancing up at him. He looks worried. "Kyo…you know that I don't always think you're an ass."

"I know." He says and then I sigh. "Do you feel better?" I shake my head. "What would make you feel better?"

"Probably embarrassing you somehow…it's only fair." I say, taking a step back. "I'll think of something, don't worry."

"I already am." He says dryly and I laugh. He smiles down at me before he chuckles. I take his hand and steal my hair tie from around his wrist. I pull my hair into a bun.

"I hope you enjoyed that." I say, turning and walking away. "Because this may be the beginning of your punishment." I smirk to myself as I feel his eyes on my back. He makes me feel powerful.


	14. All Together Now

_Welcome! I won't keep you very long! I just wanted to warn you that I was kind of unsure where to go with this chapter, so I hope that you guys think it turned out okay! Enjoy! _

"That's it, I'm dressing you myself." I say to my brother and I begin unbuttoning his pajama shirt. "I gave you ten minutes." I say, gently pulling him up so that he is upright. I slide the shirt down his arms and start putting on his uniform top. I get his pants on him and by this point he's awake. He's staring at me with wide, lost eyes, but I don't let myself chuckle.

"I'm sorry, Annie." He says and I shake my head. "Do I still have time to eat the toast you brought?"

"Yes. Hurry. You still need to brush your teeth. Get your shoes and socks on and then meet Kyoya and I downstairs, okay?" I say and he nods. "Good boy." I stand up and go to the door. "If you're not down there in five minutes, you'll be in big trouble." I close the door behind me and head downstairs.

"Why is your cheek red?" Kyoya asks as I approach him, I massage my temples, trying to be in a good mood.

"He kicked me in the face." I say and he looks shocked. "Oh no, that's not the worst thing he's ever done. He's a little hell spawn. If our children are anything like him whenever we have them, you're going to be the one to wake them up."

"Seems fair." He says as he gently turns my head to the side. "Tachibana, please get an ice pack for Anya's cheek."

"Sir." The usually silent security guard says as he produces a small ice pack wrapped in a cloth. Kyoya takes it from him without looking at him and gently holds it to my cheek.

"It looks like it's going to bruise." He says, looking worried and I smirk. "What are you smirking about?"

"You're so out of character, Renge will be pissed." I say and he rolls his eyes. "I hope they get stuck like that."

"Of course you do. Also, my father wanted me to run the idea of an engagement party by you again." He says, already knowing my answer.

"I do not wish to do anything of the sort until my parents are able to make it." I say and he nods. "Is there a microphone that I need to speak into? Maybe in Japanese this time? I can learn it in German…Elvish…."

"Elvish?" He asks, both amused and confused at the same time. "I don't know what that word means."

"Like Lord of the Rings." I say and he shakes his head. "I don't know it in Japanese. You'll have to ask Tamaki if we ever get to school." I say and just like that my brother is at my side. "Speak of the devil!"

"I'm ready!" He exclaims and I crouch down and let him climb on my back. "Onward, sister, to the first day of the school!"

"Of course." I say, walking slowly towards the door. He digs his feet into my side. "Ouch! No hurting the pony!"

"The pony needs to go faster!" He says, but he stops digging his feet in. I slowly lift my hand to the doorknob. "Annie!" He whines.

"It's not my fault, you broke my back by jumping on and kicking me in the back when you sneak into my bed at night." I say, going even slower. I finally get the door open. "But…if you insist…." I sprint to the car. He screams in delight, holding on for dear life. We get to the car and I open the door before I set him down. He clambers in.

"You really need to stop doing that. You're in pain." Kyoya mutters as he reaches the car. I shrug and get in.

"Seatbelt." I order and Francois buckles himself in. "Are you sure that you're ready? I'm sure that we could keep you home another few days…get you more comfortable with the language."

"Annie, you're worrying too much. I understand the language just fine!" My brother says as he kicks his feet. "I'm so excited!"

"I know, baby." I say with a slight smile. "I'll always worry about you, you're my little brother."

"I'm more worried about you. Hana says that all of the other girls in your grade are super jealous because you're marrying Kyoya." He says and I laugh.

"Did she now? Well, Hana's right." I say with a smile. "I've got a great support system though. I have a friend named Kairi who is very hardcore. She kind of reminds me of Helene."

"I miss Helene a lot." He says with a frown and I reach over and ruffle his hair. "Annie, don't mess up my hair. The ladies won't like me if my hair is messed up!"

"I'll mess it up if I want to." I say, but I don't…only because reaching like that is hurting my back. "I don't want to mess it up anymore, so you're lucky."

* * *

"Miss Anya, please let one of us get that for you…" One of my guests, Kenji, says, going to stand up from his seat at the bar.

"No, no. I'm fine." I say with a strained smile as I lift the cake pan out of the oven. I set it up on the cooling unit. "Don't draw attention, Kyoya's been watching me like a hawk all day."

"Maybe for good reason…" He says and I smile. "If you were my fiancé, I wouldn't let you lift a finger."

"Oh he'd love that." I say with a laugh. "I'll take a break, and in return you won't utter a word to him." I sit down on the bar stool next to him. "So, how were your classes today?"

"They were fine…my younger sister came to see me at lunch and she said that your brother joined her class today." He says and I nod.

"Yes…he has finally joined me." I say, clasping my hands in front of me on the table. "I'm really happy that he's here."

"I'm glad." He says, mimicking my posture. "You really should take it easy with your back hurting like that."

"I just have to work through it." I say and then I glance at my watch. "Well, I'd better get that cake iced. Honey-senpai will be finished in about two minutes." I stand up and head over to the cooling unit. I bring it over to the island, take it out of the pan, and begin icing.

"Well, you have a unique situation, don't you? Aren't you supposed to stay in tip top shape so that you can run if you need to?" He says and I look at him with an eyebrow raised.

"What kind of situation do you think I'm in, Kenji?" I ask with a laugh. "My father has me here so that I can build relations…and my brother was sent because I was unhappy."

"Of course." He says with a smile. He then looks at his own watch. "I have to leave…uh, take it easy." He stands up and then leaves.

"That was weird." I mutter and then I finish icing the cake. I arrange some fruit on top of it. I put it on the cart with a sigh.

"You've completed your list." Kyoya says, successfully scaring me. I put a hand on my back as I smile and turn to look at him. "I believe you need to take something for that?"

"For…what?" I ask and he makes a really irritated noise. "Don't tell me what to do!" I say defiantly and go to actually finish my list. Hikaru picks it up though and holds it above my head. "Are you fucking serious right now?" I jump to try and grab it, but he dangles it higher.

"Don't jump, you'll hurt your back worse." He says, tapping me on the nose with his other hand.

"Don't hold things out of reach, I may punch you." I mutter darkly, putting my hands on my hips.

"I think it's time that you go home…" Tamaki says, looking worried. "I heard that you had a tough morning."

"It was nothing." I say, tapping my foot in agitation now. "I wish you all would stop treating me like I'm a child."

"If you're in pain, Anya, you should go home and rest." Haruhi says and I huff. "It's stupid to push yourself. Adelaide would tell you to go home too."

"Go home." Takashi says and I sigh. "What are you worried about?" He asks, his sixth sense kicking in.

"It's nothing…Kenji just said something really strange." I say waving it off. "If you guys insist, I'll go home."

"I'll walk you to the car." Kyoya says and I smile at him, sickly sweet. "This will be good." He mutters before he collects my school bag for me. "I'll be back." He says to Tamaki and then he glances at me. "Hopefully." We walk out.

"I'm very angry." I say, in a sweet voice. "You guys need to stop treating me like a child. If I didn't think that I could do something, I wouldn't do it."

"We are not treating you like a child, we have observed that you are in fact unable to do any of what you've been trying to do." He says, sounding very irritated.

"Obviously I am not unable, because I have in fact been doing everything by myself all day." I snap and he raises his eyebrow at me.

"Perhaps that's the reason why I'm making you go home then." He says, not reacting how I wanted him to. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, you don't have to." I say, folding my arms across my chest. "I'm sure I'll be fine on my own."

"That sounds like you do want me to go." He says, chuckling a little. "I have no issues with going home now. Someone has to take care of you if you won't do it yourself."

"I take care of myself, but if you want to I suppose I can't stop you. Perhaps we can play Assassin's Creed together." I say thoughtfully.

"Is that the game I heard you screaming colorfully at last night?" He asks and I laugh. "It may be interesting, if you're willing to show me how."

"Of course." I say and then I shake my head. "You shouldn't skip club just to spend time with me. That's bad."

"There is only one more hour left anyway, they'll survive without me." He says and we arrive at the car. "What did Kenji say that bothered you?"

"Something about the situation I'm in…he made it seem like something outside of what we have told everyone…something bigger." I say and he frowns.

"I don't like that." He takes out his black notebook and jots something down. I lean over to try and peek. "I don't like that either."

"I don't like secrets." I say and he sighs. He firmly holds the book open to the page he's on and I read over it. Little reminders…what I just told him about Kenji… "Hey, what's that say?" I ask, pointing to something.

"It's nothing…nothing that I want to share with you just yet." He says with a slight smile as he closes the book. "You were right about a language barrier. It can be very useful."

"You are so rude." I scoff, but I don't scoot from my spot to the other side. The car stops and I notice that we are home. I gingerly get out of the car and walk towards the door.

"Why don't you take a bath? Then we can play Assassin's Creed together." Kyoya says, placing a gentle hand on the small of my back.

"If you insist, dear." I say with a sickly sweet smile. We enter the house and Hana is there immediately, regarding me sternly. "You told on me?" I ask as I turn to my fiancé. He just shrugs.

"I have a bath ready for you, Miss." She says and I follow her up the stairs, albeit slowly. When I finally reach the bath, I fade away into the heavenly bliss of the hot water.

* * *

I gasp as I'm pulled from underneath the water. I sputter, coughing up water. Hana looks at me, terrified.

"I fell asleep…" I say sheepishly, wiping water from my eyes. "I'm okay, Hana." I say and then I stand up. She gives me the towel and I dry myself off. "Let's not tell Kyoya or the others."

"If you insist." She says with a sigh. "What am I going to do with you?" She asks as she helps me into my robe. She directs me to the vanity and takes my hair down from its bun. She gently brushes it out. There's a knock on the door. Hana goes over. "She just got out of the bath, I'll come and tell you when she's dressed." It must be Kyoya. "He's worried about you." She says as she comes back and continues brushing my hair.

"I know…but he doesn't need to be." I say and she gives me a look. "How's Francois? Did he have a good first day?"

"Yes, he had a wonderful time. He told me about the friends that he made while he was there." She says and I smile. "He's still taking a nap."

"He's been having trouble sleeping, so I won't complain." I say, shaking my head a little. She finishes brushing my hair. "Thank you, Hana…and please don't tell Kyoya."

"I won't, Miss." She says and I smile as I get up and go to the closet. "I'll tell him to give you a minute."

"Thank you." I call as I pull on my favorite sweat pants and one of my comfortable racer back tank tops. As I walk out of the closet, there's a knock on the door. "Come in!" I call and Kyoya walks in. I walk over to the vanity and quickly braid my hair.

"I brought you something for the pain." He says, holding up a bottle. I walk over and take it from him and read the bottle. "Don't worry, it isn't ibuprofen."

"You remembered, how sweet." I say with a smile as I take two of the tablets and wash them down with water. "Are you ready to be schooled in the art of assassination?"

"Perhaps…I would like to talk to you about Kenji though…that is really bothering me." He says and I sigh as I sit down on the couch.

"Are you worried because of what he said or because he is a very regular customer of mine?" I ask as he sits down across from me.

"A regular customer of yours who is showing very odd signs." He says and I feel the small smile form on my lips before I can stop it. "Anya, this isn't a jealousy thing."

"Not even a little bit?" I ask, regarding him skeptically. "I'll answer any questions you have, Kyoya."

"What exactly did he say today? And was it the first time he had said anything like it?" He asks and I sit back, gingerly.

"I believe his exact words were something along the lines of, 'you have a unique situation, don't you? Aren't you supposed to stay in tip top shape so that you can run if you need to?' It was really strange…but I don't think that he's ever said anything like that before." I say and Kyoya almost looks furious.

"I think that you should stay home from school tomorrow…while we investigate some things." He says and I look at him skeptically.

"Kyoya, I'm going to school tomorrow. I'm sure that everything is fine…I'm with you almost the entire day, so nothing bad could possibly happen to me." I say and he sighs.

"I won't be able to convince you to stay home, will I?" He asks and I shake my head. "You're going to be the death of me."

"In Assassin's Creed, yes." I say as I grab the remote off of the coffee table in between us and turn the television that is mounted on the wall on. "You'll have to sit next to me, as the television is mounted above your head. I don't bite." He moves over and I hand him a controller. I turn on the play station and load up the game, choosing the multiplayer option.

* * *

"Good morning." I say to my first year friends as I walk up. I shoot a pointed look at Hikaru before I smile at Haruhi and Kaoru.

"I'm sorry for taking advantage of the fact that you're short." Hikaru says as he drapes an arm around me in a lazy hug. "How is your back today?"

"It feels better." I say, only lying a little bit. "I took a nice hot bath last night and I had a heating pad and everything. Kyoya told on me, and so I'm not allowed to lift things…not even my school bag."

"That's probably for the best." Haruhi says with a nod. "If you need any help today, whether it be carrying something or with your baking at club, I can help you."

"Thanks." I say with a smile. "Kyoya and I hatched a cool idea for the spring fundraiser last night while he was entertaining me."

"What is it?" Kaoru asks as he takes my hair out of its braid and starts redoing it. "Sorry, there was a funky piece."

"By all means. "I say with a laugh. "Anyway, I've been playing a lot of Assassin's Creed lately and so last night we were playing together and we got the idea for a game of hide and seek but we're all dressed in cosplay from the game and there are teams. We can charge for people to take part in it and such. It should be really fun, and when I'm off of probation for my back, we're going to do a really neat promotion for it."

"That does sound like a lot of fun." Hikaru says, giving me a 'not bad' look. "Maybe we should put you in charge of planning the events."

"Things might not be as crazy then." Haruhi says and Tamaki's sixth sense must kick off because he is at our side and crying in no time. "Senpai, please don't cry on my shoes." She says, taking a step back.

"Come on, Tamaki." I say, patting him on the back. "I would help you up, but Kyoya would scold me."

"You make me sound like your caretaker or something." He says and I raise my eyebrow at him. He's been especially grumpy this morning. "We had all better get to class." "Kyoya-senpai's right. Take it easy, Anya, and remember what I promised!" Haruhi says with a wave over her should as she drags the twins away.

"Aw, Kaoru took my hair tie." I say with a frown before I carefully take the braid down. "Well, gentlemen, let's go." We start walking. We enter the class to find a new seating arrangement being decided. We go to the chart at the front of the class and locate our names. I'm right behind Kyoya and Tamaki at a desk by myself…at least I'm not sitting next to Kenji, that would probably freak me out a little bit.

"Hey, you're right in front of me, Anya." Kairi says with a wave. I walk over to my seat and look up at my fiancé as I wait for him to amble over and set my bag down.

"Thank you." I say to him briefly before I turn back to my friend. "I'm in trouble because I hurt my back."

"Ah, it must be the way you handle your brother." She says and I throw my head back. "What's that?"

"I refuse to accept that he is growing up. I mean, he's only almost six." I say and she shakes her head. "He's my baby brother."

"Yes, but you're also five foot nothing." She says and I give her a look. "It's the truth, you can't deny it."

"I suppose that's true, but still. I am very athletic. I used to be, at least, and then my father told me to try doing more feminine things and I lost my touch." I say and she shrugs. "We'll talk more at lunch." I say and then I turn around and begin copying the notes.

* * *

"Try this on." Hikaru says as he pulls something off of a rack and hands it to me. I salute before I retreat behind the curtain and try the garment on.

"Why am I dressed like a flapper girl?" I ask as I come out and they gush over how cute I am.

"I wish Addie were here, you guys would make the best pair." Kaoru says, frowning at the remaining dress. "Oh well…for another time I suppose."

"Yes…now, let's try this thing on you." Hikaru says, handing me another dress. I know that they're in charge of keeping me occupied so that I don't try to lift anything. It's only a meeting day, so it's not like they're missing out on customers. I go back and change into the new dress, it's a strapless number with a slit. I raise my eyebrow as I walk out.

"What? You're supposed to be a lounge singer. I think it looks phenomenal on you." Kaoru says, snapping a picture. "We'll be sure to include this one in the idea proposal."

"Of course." I say dryly before I accept the next costume. This one has pants at least. I go behind the curtain and change. "I miss Addie…she would make this fun."

"Are you saying that we're not fun?" Hikaru asks, looking crestfallen as I come out. "Hey, that looks really good on you."

"The pants feel a little tight, or were you going for the skin tight thing?" I ask, smoothing the jacket down.

"Well, you are a pirate…and girl pirates are supposed to be, and these are my mother's words, sexy." He says and I chuckle as I accept the next costume. "That one is a genie." He says and I hum as I change.

"Can we please stop? I'm slowly freezing to death." I say as I rub my bare arms. They shrug. "Come on, guys. I promise I won't try to lift anything."

"Oh fine. Once you get changed, we need measurements again." Kaoru says, and I retreat behind the curtain. I pull on my clothes and sit down to put my shoes on. "Hurry up!"

"Don't rush me, woman!" I shout as I walk over to him. I assume the position and they take my measurements. "I'll be back, you guys go scheme with the rest of the club." I say and we head out of the back room together. I keep going and head towards the girl's bathroom.

"Miss Anya!" Kenji says, smiling pleasantly at me. "I didn't think you would be here, I know that you aren't seeing guests today."

"It's a meeting day, and I was being fitted for costumes." I say with a smile. "What are you doing here this late?"

"Oh, I sometimes take part in the photography club." He says, waving it off. "Our meeting ended a little while ago."

"I didn't know that." I say with a smile. "If you'll excuse me…" I say politely and then I head into the bathroom. I splash some cool water on my face and regard my reflection skeptically after gently patting my skin dry. My hair looks wild, no doubt from all of the clothes I just tried on. I try to smooth it, but give up after a minute. I'll just have to get my hair tie back from Kaoru. I head out of the bathroom, only to be tossed over someone's shoulder. "Hey!" I shriek, trying to turn around to see who it is. They won't let me though. "Help!" I scream, because something clearly isn't right. Their hold on my legs is tight.

"Hey!" Hikaru's outraged voice shouts and my eyes focus on him. He starts running, closing the distance. Whoever it is, drops me and I crack my head on the ground. He keeps running, but I can't tell who it is. "Annie!" I try to focus my eyes on Hikaru, but I see three of him. I try to sit up. "No, you shouldn't. Here." He takes off his blazer and puts it under my head. He's on his phone now, speaking quickly and angrily. I start to close my eyes. "Annie!" He snaps and my eyes open wide. "She's bleeding."

"Move." Kyoya snaps, and I want to yell at him for being rude to Hikaru, but I can't find the words. "Stay awake, help is coming."

"I'm afraid." I whisper and something flashes in his eyes. I reach up and touch his cheek. "I'm not going to be allowed to do anything ever again, am I?"

"If I have my way, no." He says, and I hear the worry over the anger now. I'm probably among the few who can distinguish the difference. "I'm sorry I can't protect you."

"Shut up." I say, closing my eyes. "I'm really tired." I say and touches my cheek now. "I know, stay awake."

"Yes." He says and I open my eyes, but I'm squinting. "It's probably not a very bad concussion, if you have one at all."

"Thank you, Doctor." I say with a sleepy smile. "I need to stop getting hurt, this is annoying."

"I agree." He says and I laugh. The school doctor arrives then and looks over me. As he examines my head, I see Kyoya speaking angrily into his cell phone out of earshot. He looks royally pissed off.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean, you can't find my brother!" I shout, my fear manifesting as anger. "He's five years old! They don't just disappear! He's a tiny human!"

"Annie, please calm down." Kyoya says and I shoot him a look. "We are doing all that we can to locate him. Our only priority right now is getting you home. Clearly, you were both targeted, but Hikaru caught him."

"I will gladly go to them if they just give Francois back." I say, trying to keep from crying. "He's a baby."

"I know." Kyoya says, closing his eyes for a moment. "I, however, would not be so glad to see you go. My father is doing all that he can. The good news is that your father gave Francois a watch that has a tracking device in it. As long as it remains undiscovered, we should have him soon."

"I realize you're trying to make me feel better, but it is not working." I say and then I look out the window. We are back and I see Kyoya's father at the door. Tachibana opens my door and I get out. He and Kyoya are on either side of me.

"Anya." Mrs. Ohtori says, clearly upset. "Are you alright?" She asks and I just shake my head, setting my jaw in attempt to keep myself from crying.

"Your mother and father will be here in a few hours." Mr. Ohtori says but I can't feel happy.

"Has the kidnapper contacted anyone yet?" I ask, my voice surprisingly steady and not in French.

"We have received no word yet." He explains and I nod once. "My men are doing all that they can to locate your brother. For the time being, you are to stay here. You may go to your room if you wish, I will call for you when your parents arrive."

"I understand, thank you." I say and then I head inside. Kyoya stays with me, putting an arm around my waist when my legs start to wobble. I collapse against his side about half way there and he picks me up, carrying me the rest of the way to my room. He sits down on the couch and I sob into his neck. "He's just a baby! Why would they do this! He just wanted to go to the museum with us this weekend!"

"I don't know why they're doing it." He says, just holding me and letting me cry. "This will be over."

"No it won't…not until I'm dead or Francois is dead." I sob, reaching the line between regular sobbing and hysterical. "I'd rather it be me. Francois is so smart and beautiful, the world needs him."

"We need you too, Annie." Kyoya says and I shake my head. "We need both of you…together."

"If he dies…Kyo, I can't do it." I say, furrowing my eyebrows together. "They couldn't kill a baby, could they?" I ask, trying to say something else, but only a squeak comes out.

"Annie, don't think that way." He commands, standing up again. He carries me over to my bed and lays me down on top of the covers. He takes off my shoes for me and then he covers me with one of my extra blankets. "Take a small nap."

"Will you stay with me?" I ask quietly and he nods, sitting down at my side. I scoot over and he looks at me for a moment before he lays down as well, pulling me into his arms again. I bury my face in his chest, trying to lose myself in this moment, trying to forget that my world is falling apart.

* * *

"Annie, wake up." Kyoya says gently and my eyes pop open. "No, I'm sorry…we haven't found him yet." Tears spill out and he wipes them away. "Your parents are here…"

"I should go and see them." I say as I sit up. Kyoya helps me out of bed and we head out of my room. The mansion is alive with different sounds, there are security guards everywhere, which isn't something I'm used to. I see my parents and my mother gasps as she sees me, losing her careful composure. I run to her, tears in my eyes and we hold each other. "I'm so sorry." I whisper. "I'm so sorry I couldn't keep him safe."

"It's no one's fault, baby." She whispers, shaking as she holds me. My father's warm arms wrap around us. "It's no one's fault…you've been so brave."

"We will find him and we will be a family again." My father declares and I look up at him. He cups my face, wiping away some tears. "My beautiful flower." He turns to Kyoya then. "You must be Kyoya."

"Sir." Kyoya says, bowing respectfully. "It is an honor to meet you, though I wish they were under different circumstances."

"You and I both." He says, shaking his hand. "I'll have to ask you to continue to take care of my daughter for a while longer."

"Forever, sir." He says and my mother looks as pleased as she could be in this situation. She lays kisses all over my face and gives me another squeeze before she and my father head off towards Mr. Ohtori's office. "Anya?" I look up at him, no emotion on my face.

"Something isn't right." I say and he takes my hand. "They know something…" He purses his lips. "You know something as well."

"Not here." He says and he leads me back to my room. We go in and sit down on the couch. "The kidnappers have contacted us…and they said that they would return Francois if we gave you to them."

"What are we even debating this for?" I ask, standing up. "We tell them that we'll do it and then when we go for the tradeoff we catch them."

"And if something goes wrong? It's too risky…right now you are both very valuable to him. Neither of your lives have been threatened at this point, so we can only assume that nothing bad will come of Francois." He says and I feel the anger work its way onto my face.

"That isn't good enough. I will not have any assumptions when it comes to my baby brother." I say and he sighs.

"I know…but I can't let you put yourself in danger." He says and I begin pacing. "Why don't you take a bath, and then we can have dinner together?"

"I'm not hungry." I say, stopping to look at myself in the mirror. I'm a mess…but I really didn't need to see my reflection to know that. I go to the bathroom and take off my contacts. I ignore the glasses sitting next to the sink.

"You should still eat something." He says and I shrug. "How does your head feel? Light at all?"

"No. I'm fine." I say, going back to pacing. "I'm going to change." I say and then I go into my closet. I pull on black leggings and a light purple sweater. I keep my hair hang down, but only because it would probably hurt to have it up. I go over to my window and fold my arms across my chest. "Why would they take him?"

"Because they've observed how close you are." He says, closer than I thought he would be. "We will get him back, Annie. I promise."

"I couldn't…I wouldn't be able to go on if he were to…" I put my hand over my mouth and try not to start crying again.

"That will not happen." He says, pulling me into his arms again. "Will you please try to eat something?" He asks and I nod once. "Okay…" He takes my hand and we walk out of my room. I'm barefoot, but I don't really care. We arrive at the dining room and all of the Ohtori children are there…Fuyumi's husband and Yuuichi's wife are there as well. They look solemn. Akito doesn't look like a jerk and Fuyumi looks distraught. Yuuichi is calm, which doesn't surprise me. He's the eldest, so he's supposed to be the one who holds the siblings together.

"I'm so sorry about Francois." Fuyumi says as she walks up to me. She gently hugs me. I smile slightly when she pulls away. "My father employs some of the most capable officers in all of Japan…so try not to worry too much. Though I can only imagine how you must be feeling, I would be beside myself if I were in your position and Kyoya were missing."

"Fuyumi…" Kyoya says and I shake my head at him. "Let's all just have something to eat." He suggests and we all take seats. Somewhere in the distance, I hear my father lose his cool. I flinch, closing my eyes briefly.

"Congratulations on your engagement." Yuuichi says to me kindly and I offer a small smile.

"Thank you, Yuuichi. How are things at the hospital?" I ask, embracing a chance at getting my mind off of things.

"They're fine, thank you. I hope that my younger brother hasn't caused too many issues for you…he can have a temper sometimes." He says and Kyoya smiles, but I can sense the daggers he's internally glaring at his brother.

"He isn't any worse than I am." I say with a smile. "In a way, I feel bad for him having to deal with me all of the time."

"I can't imagine that." Akito says and I laugh. "The way she acts around Francois contradicts what Kyoya tells me."

"Francois is a baby." I say with a shrug and then smile sadly. "Kyoya, on the other hand, should know better."

"They never do." Fuyumi says and I actually laugh a little. The serving staff brings out some food. "May I see your ring?" She asks and I bring my left hand up. Since she's sitting beside me, she can easily see it. "Ah, so he went with this one. Excellent choice."

"I really like it." I say shyly and she smiles. "I didn't know that he had consulted with anyone."

"Oops." She says, covering her mouth. Her eyes shine with a bright smile, though. "I wasn't supposed to say anything."

"He'll get over it." I say with a wave of dismissal. The siblings all chuckle and then we eat in silence…I pick at my food, not really eating much.

"Miss Anya…" A maid says as she enters the dining room. "I apologize for interrupting, but Mr. Ohtori has asked that you come to his office immediately."

"Of course, thank you." I say standing up. "Excuse me everyone." I say and then I head to the office.

"Anya." My father says as I enter. "The man who has Francois will only speak to you." He says and I regard him with neutral eyes. "Will you?"

"Yes." I say, walking over to them. My mother stands, giving me her seat. A notepad is sat down in front of me with some information scrawled in my father's script. "Hello?" I ask into the black phone.

"Anya." A voice that sends chills down my spine says in English. "How nice to speak with you." Like an old friend…

"What do you want?" I ask, in the same language, my voice is definitely stronger than I feel right now. "Is my brother safe?"

"Your brother is perfectly safe." He says and one knot in my stomach untangles. "Let's not talk about that for the moment, tell me about yourself." I look at my father who nods.

"I am seventeen years old." I say, not really sure what to say. "I enjoy music. I love my brother very much. I'm not sure what you want me to say."

"That is fine. Now, I want to know what you would be willing to do to get your brother back." He says and my father jots something down on the note pad.

"Anything within reason. If it is money you want, that will not be a problem." I say, my tone normal as I read exactly what is written.

"Ah, you see…it is not money that I want. Did your mother ever tell you about her relationships before she married your father?" He asks and I take a silent deep breath.

"No, she did not." I say and he chuckles. "I have heard, though, you were her fiancé before him."

"I was. I loved your mother very much." He says and I feel sick at my stomach. "You look a lot like her."

"So I've been told." I say, trying to keep the sarcasm off of my tone. "I fail to see how this is related to getting my brother back."

"In good time." He says and I roll my eyes. My mother gently squeezes my shoulder, bringing me back down. "I am enjoying talking to you, sweetheart."

"Do not call me sweetheart." I say and he chuckles again. "Names like that are a pet peeve of mine."

"I apologize, then." He says and I hear the sound of a door opening. "Ah, Francois." He says and I sit up straight. "Would you like to say hello to your sister?"

"Annie!" I hear my sweet brother's voice and I want to break down. The tears prick at my eyes.

"He can hear you, Anya." The man says and I take a steadying breath. "Is there anything you would like to say to him?"

"Little one, are you warm enough?" I ask in French. I hear him crying and it breaks my heart. "Francois, listen to me. You have to be brave right now…you're doing a good job." My mom's hand is shaking now.

"I'm warm enough." He says, his little voice shaking. "Will you come and get me?" I close my eyes.

"We'll see each other soon, baby." I say and my father jots something down again. I shake my head. "Be good, baby. We will see each other soon."

"Please make sure he gets a nice dinner." The man says and the door opens and closes again. "See? I do not mean any harm to come of your brother, I just want to meet you."

"I fear that the feeling is not mutual." I say, trying to get a hold on my anger. I ball my hands into fists, my nails biting into my palms. I glance over the list. "My own family and my fiancé's family is prepared to do what we need to in order to get my brother back. Personally, I would recommend returning my brother and leaving my family alone. I cannot guarantee how friendly I would be if we ever met."

"You certainly have your mother's spirit, don't you?" He says and I roll my eyes again. "I am done speaking with you for now, I will call again in the morning and we can discuss more options." The line disconnects before I can say anything. I sit staring at the notepad. Did I just ruin everything?

"You were so brave." My mom says, kissing my forehead. I just close my eyes against the tears threatening me.

"I must agree." Mr. Ohtori says, and then he turns to my father. "My men will keep working, but for now I think that we should all try to have something to eat and some rest."

"Come on, Annie." My mom says as she pulls me to my feet. I allow her to lead me back to the dining room. "Do you kids mind if I join you?"

"Not at all, Mrs. Masson." Yuuichi says, leading the men in standing as we enter. Kyoya looks concerned as my mother leads me over to the seat that I had vacated and making me sit down. "We were just talking about how accomplished your daughter is. Kyoya was bragging about her musical abilities."

"She is a very special girl." My mom agrees, kissing the top of my head before she allows Kyoya to help her into a seat. "She gets that from my side of the family." She winks. "Unfortunately, with that comes a temper that the devil himself is afraid of. Sorry about that Kyoya."

"Not at all." He says lightly and she laughs. "It keeps me on my toes, which she is fond of reminding me of."

"That doesn't surprise me one bit." She says and I can't help but laugh. My mother leads the conversation the rest of the way through dinner. My father and Mr. Ohtori never join us…but Mrs. Ohtori makes an appearance…she and my mother get along famously of course. She always has a way with people.


	15. Bond, James Bond

_Hello everyone! I really don't know how to feel about this chapter, so please tell me what you think! We're almost there, guys! Rejoice! _

I sit at the piano, staring at the keys. They're begging me to play them…and I know that I should. It will probably help me a great deal. Then again, sleeping would probably also help me a great deal…nobody realizes it, but it's been a couple of days since I last slept. It isn't that I'm not tired, I'm exhausted…but anytime I close my eyes I can hear my brother crying. This is the fourth day that he's been gone…four long days and they haven't been able to track him down.

"Annie…" Kyoya says as he stands in the doorway to the music room. He's still in his uniform. While I haven't been in school, I've been making him go. "Have you slept?" I shrug. "You need to."

"You think I don't want to?" I ask, my voice sounds dead to me. I try to move, my legs to turn around or my fingers to the keys on the piano but they won't respond. After a moment of intense concentration, I successfully get up from the bench. "I can't walk."

"Here." He says, moving over to my in fluid motions. He lifts me into his arms with ease…he must be working out still. He carries me to my room and sets me down on my bed before he pulls the covers back.

"Will you stay with me?" I ask softly and he pushes my hair back off of my forehead gently.

"Let me change." He says and I nod. He exits my room and I crawl under the comforter. I lay on my side, staring blankly ahead. He comes back in and lays down next to me on top of the covers and I wrap my arms around him, laying my head on his chest.

"I don't know what to do." I whisper as he runs his fingers through my hair. "I haven't been able to sleep."

"Why have you been trying to handle this on your own?" He asks and I look up at him. "You don't have to, you know."

"You need to go to school." I say and he rolls his eyes. "I am not more important than your education. In fact, you should wait until I'm unconscious and then go and study."

"Perhaps." He says and I shake my head. "Rest…you're going to need it when we find Francois."

"Can I just wake up and this all be a horrible nightmare?" I ask, pinching my arm. "Why did this happen…"

"Because that man is a sick bastard." He says and I nod as I close my eyes and lay my head back down. "Rest, Anya."

* * *

When I open my eyes I hear the gentle tapping sound of someone trying to be quiet as they type on a computer. I roll over and Kyoya is sitting up on the other side of the bed.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry." He says as I sit up. I shake my head. I blindly grab my glasses off of my nightstand and clean them on my shirt before I put them on.

"Is there any news on Francois?" I ask and he shakes his head. "Okay…" My stomach growls loudly.

"Let's go and have dinner…" He says as he closes his laptop. I shrug as I get out of bed and put on my slippers. "Your hair looks crazy."

"Your hair looks crazy." I say as I go over and pull it into a bun on top of my head. We head out and go to the dining room. Mrs. Ohtori and my mom are there having coffee together.

"Good morning, darling." Mom says and I look at my watch. "I'm joking, sit down." I mechanically do as I'm told. "How did you sleep?"

"Like the dead." I say with a sigh. A maid brings out food for Kyoya and I eat slowly, not wanting to overwhelm my stomach.

"Did Kyoya tell you that he figured out how to get around the system to find your brother?" Mom says and I spit out the water I was drinking.

"He what?" I ask, turning my eyes to him. "You couldn't have mentioned that five minutes ago!?"

"You were just waking up." He says and I get the strong urge to throw something at him. "Eat…we haven't found him yet." I look over at my mom and she looks amused.

"Haruna and I were tossing around ideas for an engagement party for the two of you..." She says and I can tell that her spirits are lifted. I know that when we have Francois, she will be the most annoyingly happy person on the planet…but I will take that over how broken she looked just the other day.

"Nothing too extravagant, please." I say, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "You know how dreadfully awkward I am at parties."

"Oh, I know, but you're my very first child to get married. We've got to pull out all the stops." She says and I shake my head.

"Do we have to do it this year? I mean…we don't even want to get married until after college. Well, I'd like a couple years of college first anyway." I say and look to Kyoya who shrugs.

"I was thinking after high school, dear." Mom says and I gape at her, wide-eyed. "Well, it's not like he's going to tell you that you can't go to school."

"I would like to watch from a very safe distance her reaction if I even tried." He offers and Mom laughs.

"We have time to discuss this sort of thing…" Mrs. Ohtori says, having pity on me. "From what Yuzuha has told me, her sons have got quite a bit of planning done."

"I only told them they could design the dress." I say with a slight laugh. "Knowing them, though, they've probably got an entire room dedicated to it already."

"That's what she tells me." She says and I laugh again. "My husband is anxious to have the wedding as soon as possible, but your father is insistent that we do it at your pace."

"Only because Henri has experience with trying to rush our little girl." Mom says and Mrs. Ohtori laughs. "It is a very important lesson to learn with her, Kyoya. Anya uses up a great deal of patience, if you tell her not to do something she will push the limits beyond what you could even possibly imagine. A frustrating girl."

"I had to learn it from somewhere." I say dryly and she smiles at me. "I hate being talked about like I'm not here."

"I know, dear, that's why I do it." She says, sticking her tongue out at me. There must be something a little stronger in that coffee. I look over at Kyoya and he's watching me, concern clear on his face. I smile at him and he appears to relax a little bit. "How do you feel about the wedding, Kyoya?"

"I'm just happy she wants to put up with me." He says and she laughs. "Ultimately, it's up to Anya."

"That's just the way I like it." I joke and then I finish my meal. My father enters then, his eyes bright. "Did you…"

"Yes. They're on their way back now." He says and I cover my mouth to contain the sob. He comes over and hugs me. "It will be a while, so why don't you go and try to get some more rest. Kyoya?"

"Of course, sir." He says, standing up. I hadn't noticed, but he finished a while ago. For the past few nights, he's been in charge of me pretty much. I hug my mother, smile to Mrs. Ohtori and the two of us exit the dining room.

"When do you want to get married?" I ask, looking up at him as we walk hand in hand towards my room.

"I meant what I said, it is up to you. Whether it be tomorrow or three years from now, you make me happy." He says and I smile a little.

"Where will you want to live?" I ask and he purses his lips. I turn my eyes forward…not wanting to look at him when he inevitably tells me that he doesn't want to go to France.

"I've been thinking about that quite a bit, actually." He says and I nod. "The conclusion that I have come to is…why don't we have two homes?"

"How very rich of you, darling." I say, smirking a little. "It makes sense for us to live here mostly…with your plans and everything."

"I suppose that's true…but I don't want you to think that you'll never see France again." He says and I smile.

* * *

"Anya, your brother is here." Kyoya says and I sit up right away. The book that I was reading clatters to the floor as I stand up.

"What the hell are you so calm about?!" I run over to my closet and step into my shoes. "Kyoya! Come on!"

"Calm down…they're not even out of the car yet." He says, seeming amused by my reaction.

"I will not calm down!" I exclaim, pulling him by the hand out the door and down the stairs. "My baby brother is home!"

"Annie! Maman! Papa!" Francois yells as he runs through the door. He runs straight into my arms and I pick him up. Mom wraps her arms around the two of us and then my dad collects us in his own arms.

"You've been so brave, son." Dad says, kissing the top of Francois' head. "I think it's time for a bath, and then a good old fashioned bed time story from your Papa and Maman." He takes him from my arms.

"Wait, Papa." I say and then I give Francois a kiss on the cheek. "Don't give them any trouble."

"Never again!" He exclaims, snuggling up to our father. I smile, pat him on the head and then they walk away. I turn to Kyoya then.

"Thank you…" I say, the tears brimming around my eyes. I walk over and hug him. "Thank you…for bringing my brother home."

"Of course…" He says, bringing his arms around me. "Things wouldn't be the same around here without him."

"Of course not." I say, hugging him tighter and then I look up at him. "I should probably get some sleep so that I can go back to school tomorrow."

"I think Headmaster Suoh would understand if you wanted to take another day." He says and I shrug.

"He would be completely understanding, but I would rather go back. I can't sit around here another day. I'm going crazy." I say as I take a step back. "It's time to stop being so depressed."

"I'm glad. I was starting to get worried." He says, and I start walking. I hear him follow me.

"To be fair, you're always worried about me. It's going to drive you crazy." I glance at him and he sighs. "You've got to learn when to worry about me."

"I think I am learning." He says and we reach my door. "I must ask you, though…to never scare me like you scared me today."

"I'll do my best." I say with a small smile. He smiles down at me. "Goodnight, Kyoya…I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Annie." He says and then he kisses me. "Pleasant dreams." He then walks away, leaving me in the hallway in shock.

* * *

"Anya-senpai! It's so great to see you back at school!" A first year girl named Ruka says as she sees me walking up. "I…uh heard about your brother."

"He's home now! So there's no need to worry about it." I say brightly. "It's great to be back, Francois is friends with your little brother? Right? He'll be returning next week, so tell him not to worry."

"I will!" She says and I continue walking towards my own first year friends. Hikaru and Kaoru see me, and they look shocked.

"Good morning my little fleas!" I say, throwing an arm around each of them. "Ah, Haruhi! It's so great to see you! Oh! And Kasanoda too?"

"Good morning, Anya-senpai." He says, bowing to me. "You look well today." I smile at him.

"Thank you, you do too. You know, Kasanoda, you don't have to call me Senpai. I always find honorifics to be too formal. Call me Anya." I offer and he bows again.

"Alright…Anya." He says and I smile. It begins snowing then. "Oh, here Haruhi and Anya…you can use my umbrella until we get inside."

"Thanks Bossanova." Haruhi says, accepting the umbrella from him. She and I huddle underneath it as we head inside. As we reach the doors, Haruhi shakes out the umbrella and returns it to him.

"That was very kind of you." I say with a smile. "My hair gets so unruly when it's damp." I smooth the blonde tresses. "Glasses are also very annoying in the snow."

"Anya, we should get going." Tamaki says a broad smile on his face. "We don't want to be late for class!" He takes me by the hand and drags me down the hall way.

"Tamaki! Be careful! I'm in heels!" I say with a laugh. We reach our classroom and Tamaki stops abruptly. I run into his back, knocking my glasses off of my face. "Ouch…"

"Here…" Kyoya says as he stoops down, producing the cloth he uses to clean his own glasses. He wipes the lenses and gives them to me. "Tamaki, you'd do well to be more careful with her."

"S-sorry Kyoya….please don't give me that scary look." Tamaki says, cowering in fear. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Anya."

"I know." I say with a smile. "It's okay, Kyoya's just a little overprotective." I wave it off and go to walk into the room. Kyoya stops me.

"Just a moment…" He says and Tamaki slips in. "I just wanted to make sure that you were really okay."

"Yes, I've told you at least six times today." I say and he smiles a little. "Let's go to class." I turn and walk into the room.

"Oh, so you're rocking the glasses look today?" Addie says standing with a hand on her hip. "Don't tell me you're turning into one of those couples." I run over and hug her. She laughs, bringing her arms around me.

"You're back!" I exclaim, taking a step back. "And no, we are not. My eyes just hurt today, so I wore my glasses."

"Sure, sure." She says and I narrow my eyes are her. "Anyway, I quit that movie." She shrugs, moving over to the empty seat next to mine. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing much really." I say sitting down. "The class trip was fun, I learned how to ski." I say with a smile. "I was a little afraid at first."

"She was downright chicken." Kairi says as she walks over leans against the desk. "It's good to see you Adelaide."

"Good to see you too." She says with a smile. "I see you took care of our girl in my absence. Good work." She salutes. "The three of us will have to go shopping this weekend."

"Actually…" I say, looking between the two. "Invitations are going out today…but we'll be throwing an engagement party this weekend."

"Finally!" Kairi exclaims and I laugh, looking at her. "What? You're always talking about how awkward you are at parties, I wanted to see it for myself."

"You're evil." I say, shaking my head. "Anyway, it's true…you'll see me in all my awkward glory. My mother has insisted on all of my friends from school coming to the party."

"So your parents are here too!?" Addie exclaims and then she shoots a withering glare at Tamaki. "You didn't care to share that information!?"

"Those two have been terrible about sharing information lately." I say, shaking my head. "But yeah…they've been here a little less than a week. Papa is talking about getting a house here."

"So you're staying?" Kairi asks and I smile. We'd briefly discussed my returning to France for a little while…but…

"Yeah…I couldn't bear to be away from my fiancé. He's a little troublesome, but hey so am I. So Francois and I are staying. They'll have to return eventually…but we're going to get to be a family again."

"Oh wow, she's so cute." I hear someone say and I look to Kyoya, he looks insanely jealous. I smile at him and he regards me dryly.

"Troublesome fiancé, huh?" He asks and I nod, raising my eyebrows at him. "Well, you're right about one thing."

"Yes, that you're troublesome." I say, sticking my tongue out at him. "Honestly, Kyoya, can't you stop looking at me for two minutes to copy your notes?" I flip my hair and then open my notebook.

* * *

"Happy's a good look on you." Addie says as we walk to the club room. I shrug. "No seriously…this is the happiest I think I've ever seen you."

"Yeah…well things are going right." I say smiling brightly. "My best friend has returned, my parents are here, my brother is in perfect health."

"I'm glad." She says, looking a little sad. "I'm just….worried about my relationship with Takashi."

"What's wrong?" I ask, stopping. She leans against the wall with a sigh. "Come on, Addie…you guys are in love."

"Yeah…but what if his family doesn't approve of me." She says and I give her a look. "What? Takashi is a very…noble sort of man. I'm sure his family wants him to marry a traditional sort of girl to suite his personality."

"Shut up." I say with a laugh. "Takashi's family is very kind…I'm sure that they want their son to be happy and you make him happy."

"He wasn't so happy when I left." She says, looking away. "I've…kind of been avoiding him all day."

"What!?" I shout and then I pull her by the arm the rest of the way to the club room. "Takashi, look what I brought for you!"

"Hmm?" He asks, looking up from a book. He stands upon seeing her and she blushes. "Adelaide…"

"Hey Takashi…" She says shyly and I smile. I push her all the way over to him and then run away.

"I did a good thing." I say as I sit down on the couch next to Kyoya. "Don't you think?" I look up at him and he hums, absorbed in whatever he's doing on his computer. "I don't think that anything should be able to get in the way of love…not shy feelings…concerns…electronic devices…"

"Subtle." He says dryly and I frown. "I'm sorry, I'm working on something." I try to look at the screen. "Not yet, please."

"Oh fine…I'm going to start some secret project that you're not allowed to look at." I say, folding my arms across my chest. "So, we're actually dressing up today?"

"Yes, your costume should be hanging up behind the curtain. I…am not sure how I feel about it." He says and I raise an eyebrow. "Your golden boys have outdone themselves."

"They're hardly golden." I say as I stand up. "You're probably just over reacting." I leave my bag by him as I go to the backroom. Behind the curtain is a garment bag with my name on it. I change into it…a little apprehensive. "Twins!" I shout, going to the door. "Get your evil little asses in here this instant!"

"I told you she would be upset." Kyoya says, adjusting his glasses. The glare catches and the twins look even more scared than before. I step out.

"The core of the mockery that I received from Yuriko's Anya Annihilation Force was their idea that I was a French whore." I say as I pace back and forth in front of them. "What the hell kind of ideas do you have about me dressing me in a slutty French maid costume!?"

"Hey! We don't talk about those bitches!" Addie exclaims from across the room. I look over at her. "Oh boy…that is a little slutty though…what were you kids thinking?"

"Wow, we didn't think it would be that bad." Hikaru says, taking the measuring tape from around his neck and measuring the skirt length. "That is way too short."

"Someone botched the measurements, that's all. We can fix it." Kaoru says, taking his own measuring tape. "Easily. Go get changed." He says and I trudge back to the changing room and pull on my uniform, sans tights. I walk out, barefoot and sit down on the couch.

"I'm angry." I say and Kyoya hums his agreement as he types. I glance over. "Why German?"

"Because you don't speak it." He says and I glare at him. "Let me guess…you're going to try and learn a new language that I don't speak?"

"Mhmm." I say, folding my arms across my chest. "Hey, can I use your blazer as a blanket? It's freezing in here." He rolls his eyes, but takes it off none the less and I use it to cover my legs. "Now you should roll your sleeves up."

"Why is that?" He asks, looking at me skeptically. I just shrug, giving him an innocent look that most definitely is not innocent.

"Eye candy. It is a well-known fact that women cannot possibly resist a man with his sleeves rolled up." I say and Tamaki dances his way over.

"Really? I'd never heard that before…it's a well-known fact?" He asks and I nod. "As a girl, you must know the reason why…"

"I'm not entirely sure…it's just attractive. There's just something about a man who looks to be hard at work…" I bat my eyelashes. "I guarantee if you try it during club hours sometime, it'll be a hit. Of course, more sane women such as Addie, Haruhi, and I will not be reduced to drooling puddles of screaming fan girl from it, but it is nice to look at." I shrug. "I think it's something like…when a man sees a woman holding a child…their brains go crazy with the potential future prospects."

"It's true." Addie says with a shrug as she rests her arms on top of my head. "Tamaki, have you ever watched Kyoya watch Anya when she's with Francois. It's cute, and my mouth is on fire for using the word associated with him."

"I'm hardly an example." Kyoya says in his superior tone that he likes to use when he feels defensive.

"That's true…I make his brain crazy enough without the idea of us being a family." I say and he blushes a little. "Aww, you are cute."

"Shut up." He says and I laugh. "Don't you all have work to do?" He snaps and I stand up, taking his blazer with me.

"He's absolutely right, let's leave him alone to fantasize." I then skip away, holding his blazer over my shoulder with one finger like I'm out of Grease or something.

"New plan, everybody! " Hikaru says as he comes out of the changing room. "Uh…seeing as though Annie's costume got worse, we're switching themes!"

"You don't have that sort of authority!" Tamaki yells and then I glare at him. "Uh, what do you have in mind?"

"Bond…." Addie says, walking out of the room in a beautiful evening gown, never mind the fact that she was at my side not ten seconds ago. "James Bond."

"You're diabolical!" I shriek as I run into the room. "I've always wanted to be a Bond girl! I thought I was too short! They're always leggy!" Kaoru chuckles as he gives me my dress and I change. He sits me down and does my hair and makeup.

"We look hot." Addie says, checking us out in the mirror. "I approve. Let's go show off." We link arms and exit the changing room. Sometime during my epic transformation, the boys and Haruhi had all changed into tuxes.

"So, we're not baking today, I take it." I say as we join the hosts. Kyoya looks at me and his eyes widen. "Ah, you forgot that I could actually be hot."

"W-what? No!" He exclaims and I laugh. "And you're not hot, you can't possibly be demeaned by such an insult. You're beautiful, stunning, and classy."

"Whoa." I say, taking a step back. "I'm going to need a minute…that was one hell of a compliment."

"I may need a minute after that one, too." Addie says, fanning herself. "That was beautiful, I'm proud."

"Let's just get ready for the guests." Kyoya says and I smile at him, he looks away and goes over to his computer. Seeing as though I have nothing to prepare, I sit down next to him.

"Hey, do you want to host together today?" I ask, almost shyly. "I mean…you can say no…it might throw you off, but I just thought…."

"Don't be shy with me." He says, tilting my chin up so he can look in my eyes. "I would prefer sitting with you today anyhow, at least I can keep an eye on you."

"Yes, because I'm the one we need to watch out for. You damn flirt." I say, sitting down and crossing my legs.

"Well, technically you're the flirt." He says and I shoot him a glare. "I look forward to being married to you." He laughs. "My parents rarely ever show any signs of affection."

"Lack of affection was frowned upon when I was growing up. The only reason Papa doesn't like babying Francois is because he thinks it will make him a sissy." I say, still not looking at him. "Kisses and hugs all around."

"Success can be fostered in many different ways…I look forward to exploring a different side of it with you." He says and I blush.

"Stop it." I say, hiding my face. "You're being especially cute now." Realization dawns on me. "This is payback, isn't it?"

"Nothing gets by you." He says as he sits down. "I do mean it though…" He takes my hand and squeezes it gently.

"I know." I say with a smile and then the guests enter. "Holy shit…I've never just outright talked to them."

"Follow my lead, you'll be fine." He says, his serene smile set in place. It isn't the fake one he normally uses. "Think of it as practice"

* * *

"Mom! No!" I shriek, running away from her. She chases after me. "Mother, I swear on all that is holy!"

"You can't do that! You went to Catholic school!" She exclaims, reaching for me again. I jump out of her reach. "Stop being more athletic than me!"

"Start jogging again!" I retort, opening the door and running out. "Papa!" I exclaim, ducking under a couch that is being moved. "Make her stop! I'm too young to hear these kinds of things!" I run into my father and hide behind him.

"What is going on?" He asks, looking confused. He takes a look at my disheveled mother and then looks at me again.

"She's trying to give me…..The Talk." I say grimly and he looks like he wants to disappear. "Papa, don't let her do it…"

"Now Anya…you're going to be married sometime…and so you need to know these things." He says, gently pushing me towards my mother.

"I'm friends with an American. I think we'll all be more comfortable if none of us talk about this ever again." I say trying to back away again. "And besides, I'm not getting married for a few years at least."

"Fine…you win for now." She says, giving me a death glare. "Anyway, next on the list…your friends, the Hitachiin's, are coming by today to have the final fitting for your dress."

"That sounds reasonable…" I say with a nod. "Alright, I'm going to finish up my makeup work."

"Alright, dear, I'll call when they're here." She says and I salute before I head to my room. I sit down at my desk and start working out the problems…they're simple statistics…easy enough. They don't hold my attention for very long, and before I know it I'm done. With nothing else that I need to do, I flop down on the bed. It's nice…everything about this room is nice…but it feels odd. Probably because I've been living with other people for so long and this house is so…not lived in….yet. I know that before long it will become comfortable. I hug my pillow to my chest and close my eyes. It will get better.

* * *

"Annie!" Francois jumps on the bed. "Hikaru and Kaoru and the others are here!" I bolt up, shaking my head. I stumble out of bed and go down the hall, almost making a wrong turn before I find the foyer.

"You look terrible." Addie says, walking over and lifting a lock of my hair. "Good thing I love you, or else this would be a deal breaker."

"It's me in my natural state, take it or leave it." I glance through the group. "So I take it we're going out after I'm fitted for my funeral attire?"

"If you're this lovely now, I'm nervous about how you'll feel when you start the wedding dress fittings." Hikaru says, putting a hand on his hip. "Come on, we need to try this on you."

"Fine, fine. My mother will want to see, so we'll go to her study." I say, leading them through the house. "Ah…left." I say with a nod, almost getting lost again.

"Your house is super pretty, Annie-chan!" Hunny-senpai says and I smile at him. "It reminds me of you!"

"It's very French." Kaoru says, looking at the art on the walls. "I don't mean that in a bad way."

"I know." I say with a smile. "My mother is very traditional…she and Mamie have a way of doing things and they stick to it." I knock on the door and my mother grunts her acknowledgement. "We're here to torture me." I say and she grins as she stands up.

"It's lovely seeing you all again! Kyoya, wait outside! I want her dress to be a surprise!" She says, clapping her hands with excitement. He smiles politely before he ducks out.

"You do know that the only time the dress is supposed to be a surprise is when it's the wedding dress, right?" I ask my mother and she smacks my butt as she shoos me behind the ornate screen she has.

"Yes, I know, but it will be fun to see his reaction when he sees you. I know that these two will have outdone themselves." She says, taking the garment bag from the twins. I pull on the dress carefully and then pull my hair up into a bun. I walk out and she tears up.

"Annie-chan looks so pretty!" Honey-senpai exclaims, spinning around. Takashi hums his agreement.

"Wow…if you weren't spoken for, I'd marry you myself." Addie says and I shake my head. "I'm sure Haruhi agrees."

"Sure." She says and I laugh. "The dress really does suit you, Anya." She smiles and I bow.

"Your hair could use some work, but the dress is a fantastic fit." Hikaru says with a thumbs up. "We have outdone ourselves, haven't we Kaoru?"

"I have to agree with you. Now take it off! We put a new outfit in there for you to wear for our outing." Kaoru says and I wave them off as I go behind the screen and change again.

"You guys are going to kill me…" I mutter, putting the dress back in the bag. I go back out and my mother takes it.

"I'll keep that in a safe place…you go and have fun." She says, kissing my forehead before the lot of us are shooed out of her study.

"I like your mom." Addie says, smiling. "So, where exactly are we going, you guys?" She and I look at the men of the group.

"It's a surprise!" Tamaki exclaims, pulling everyone into a run. I just go with the flow, allowing myself to be pulled along. I'm shoved into a car, in close quarters with Kyoya.

"Oh look, a nice smelling pillow. What luck." I say as I lay my head down on his chest. I spot Takashi putting his arm around Addie and I smile.

"You've been sleeping a lot lately, are you feeling alright?" Kyoya mutters against my hair as he kisses the top of my head.

"Mhmm…just emotionally drained. It's been a roller coaster…." I say, melting into the embrace.

"Well don't get too comfortable…I did plan this surprise especially for you after all." He says and I sit up. "You deserve something nice before your demise at the party tomorrow."

"It's going to be terrible." I complain and he just smiles. "Kyoya…I'm dreadfully awkward. The one date we've been on should have proved that."

"We've been on plenty of dates now." He says and I give him a look. "I won't let you make yourself have a bad time."

"That was a good sentence." I say and he rolls his eyes. "I'll bet you wish you had told me to just go to sleep."

"I would tell you to, but we're almost there." He says and I look out the window. I don't really recognize the area.

"You're going to love it." Addie promises and this only serves to pique my interest more. We pull into a parking lot and we get out of the car…everyone else meets up with us and we go in.

"Surprise! We're going to be ice skating!" Tamaki exclaims and I smile brightly. "Kyoya told us about your secret talent!"

"Did he now?" I ask with a laugh. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" I exclaim and we all get our ice skates and of course….I skate circles around everyone except for Addie.


	16. I'm Freaking Out

"Okay…so what we're going to do is we're going to run away to America." I say, looking at Kyoya with wide, fearful eyes. "It's fool proof."

"Except, you realize that we'll have to come back, right?" He says, folding his arms across his chest as he leans against the wall.

"I don't know half of the people in there. I'm freaking out." I say, throwing my arms in the air. "I can't do this."

"Annie…yes you can." He says, pushing off the wall and walking over to me. "You look beautiful…and I'll be at your side the entire time. I promise."

"I feel like I'm being paraded around…like 'look what I got my son! Isn't it pretty!'…this is crazy." I say, going to put my hands on my face, but I stop myself. The twins would kill me if I messed up my makeup.

"I'm not going to lie…it is sort of like that, but I don't think that way." He says and I smirk at him. "I mean, yes you are very pretty, but we're not getting married because my father did anything to get you for me. We fell in love."

"You're sweet when you're romantic." I say, going over and hugging him. "Please don't make me go in there."

"If I don't, the twins will." He says and I groan. "We have to go in now…" He gently pulls back and makes me take his arm. "I'm right here."

"I thought you were over there." I grumble as we walk up to the door. I try to put a serene expression on my face…pretend like I'm happy to be here. Kyoya opens the door and people clap as we enter. I smile, but on the inside I'm freaking out…looking for exits….places where people aren't as concentrated. We find our way to our parents and thus begins my torture…being introduced to Mr. Ohtori's colleagues and Mrs. Ohtori's friends. People talk about us like we're not there…talking about how attractive we are as a couple.

"So when do you two expect to start having a family?" A woman asks me and I feel my jaw drop open in an unattractive way.

"Oh, we don't plan on doing that for a long time. Kyoya and I have decided that we would like to have a few years of school under our belts before we even get married…we're young, so we plan to take advantage of that time." I say, hoping that it's a good answer.

"It's admirable that you have aspirations, dear, my own daughter isn't particularly good at anything." She says dismissively. What a bitch. "What is it you want to do?"

"Anya wishes to start a business." Papa says, beaming with pride. "From an early age she's expressed great potential, so as her father I thought it was important to harbor her skills."

"Our little girl is very talented." Maman says, but I know she's thinking the same thing about this dreadful woman.

"It appears so, for her to be marrying an Ohtori boy." She says and then they continue on. I look up at Kyoya and he just smiles down at me. It's the fake serene smile that is generally reserved for club activities. The twins and their parents come up next and I relax a little.

"My boys did a splendid job on your dress, Anya." Mrs. Hitachiin says and I smile. "Congratulations to the two of you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hitachiin." I say, bowing respectfully. "Your boys are geniuses." Our parents all begin talking.

"How are you doing?" Hikaru asks, fixing a piece of hair that had fallen out of place. He, and everyone else in the club for that matter, knows how nervous I am.

"Oh…you know." I say tightly, trying to keep the smile on my face. "I'm dying a little more inside with each passing colleague. That is until your mom. She's the first person to not ask me when I want to pop a baby out, or imply it." I mutter.

"I think that the height difference is adorable." Mrs. Hitachiin says, catching my attention with that comment, and I hang my head in defeat. My own mother can't help but laugh.

"I must make you feel really good about yourself." I say, looking up at Kyoya. "Man…I'm going to need wine."

"I hardly ever notice." He lies and I give him a look. He just laughs. "Would you like to dance?"

"Take me away." I say, holding out my hand to him. We join the people on the dance floor and for the first time in about half an hour, I feel comfortable. "Remember the last time we danced?" I see Takashi and Addie dancing, they look great together. Mitskuni, as he has instructed for me to call him, is over at the dessert table. The twins are now standing with Haruhi who is giving Tamaki the cold shoulder. I'm sure he is lamenting because she was unable to wear a pretty dress for the party since there are a lot of people from school here.

"Yes, it was nice." He says, trying to distract me from the whispers of all of the people around us. "You're a wonderful dancer."

"You're not so bad yourself. I mean, being a gentleman of high society you'd have to be at least a fair dancer, but you go above and beyond." I say, following his flawless lead.

"It helps when your partner is a capable dancer as well." He smiles down at me, appearing to be on cloud nine. He is in his element…

"I'm glad that you're so good at talking to people." I note, adjusting for the next song. I'm not ready to go back to interrogation yet. "I'm terrible."

"You do fine." He says with a chuckle. This dance is closer, which both makes me more comfortable and more nervous at the same time. "I think you're better at it than you think."

"They're analyzing every word I say…and they're watching us now. They're waiting for me to trip." As I speak, I begin to shake a little.

"I won't let you fall." He says, holding me a little tighter. "Ever…it's impossible. And if you faint, I'll take care of you."

"How noble." I say through my teeth. "Do you think we could get away with another song?"

"Maybe one more…but then we should go back." He says and I let out a sigh. "Imagine what it will be like when we actually get married."

"You're only going to be married a couple of hours then, because I'm going to die." I say and he looks troubled. "Only because of the social anxiety. It's not like the idea of marrying you scares me…maybe the timing scares me, but not you."

"I'm glad that I don't scare you." He says and then the song ends, that was a short one. We flawlessly transition into our last song of solace. "My father is dripping with satisfaction right now."

"I'm glad to have made this evening very profitable for you." I say and he gives me a look. "Hey, you can't give me looks like that. Mine are at least hidden. You're supposed to be love-struck Kyoya."

"I am 'love-struck Kyoya', always when I'm around you according to my mother." He says dryly. "Even when I'm not speaking."

"Yeah, you stare a lot." I say, teasing him now. "It's okay you've gotten quite the deal, a fiancé who is quite accomplished and nice to look at."

"Shut up." He says, but he's smiling. "You talk about yourself like you're some goat, but you know it's much more than that."

"I just think it's a funny circumstance is all. I mean, how often does a girl actually love the guy she's supposed to marry because her father says so? I mean…you know what I mean." I say, looking away. The song ends. "Do me a favor? Stomp on my foot really hard so I can go to the hospital and not go back to…whatever that was?"

"I'm going to have to say no." He says as we begin walking back to our parents. "It will be okay."

"Says the guy who's actually good at being social." I mutter, but plaster a smile on my face as we reach our parents.

* * *

"I'm just going to get some air." I say, standing up from the table I had been seated at. Hana gives me my coat and I go out onto the balcony. It's freezing, but it feels good against my skin. Between dancing and trying to not be awkward, I've been pretty warm. I must admit that I'm going a lot better than I thought I would. It must be how Kyoya is making sure that I'm not spending too much time under the magnifying glass.

"Miss Anya." Kenji says with a smile as he steps out. "Kyoya had to go and do something for his father, so he asked me to bring this to you." He says, walking over and handing me a glass of punch.

"Oh, thank you." I say with a smile. I accept it and take a sip. "It's really warm in there, isn't it?"

"I suppose so…" He says, standing there awkwardly with me. I keep the smile plastered on my face. "So are you happy to be engaged?"

"Yes." I say with a nod. "I just hate the feeling of so many eyes on me." I take another sip.

"Someone as beautiful as you are should be used to being looked at. It would be a shame if you weren't." He says and that makes me really uncomfortable. "Beautiful things should be admired, Anya."

"Maybe that's so…but I am not a thing. I'm a person, with thoughts and feelings, so I think that I deserve some time to myself." I say, carefully putting some distance in between us.

"That is true…I only meant that you deserve to be admired." He says, smiling at me. It sends chills down my spine.

"Oh, excuse me, I just remembered I needed to ask Kyoya's older brother something." I say and then I head inside, the shift from the intense cold to the almost intense heat of the room makes me a little dizzy.

"Anya, what can I help you with?" He asks, looking down at me like most people do. I smile, but lean against the wall I'm next to, the dizziness intensifying. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…I just feel odd." I shake my head. "Anyway, I had a question about…." I try to speak, but then my ears start ringing and my head pounds. "I don't know what's wrong." I start to slip, but he catches me. People are noticing. We're on the ground, he's taking my pulse. I blink my heavy eyelids.

"Anya?" He asks, and I look at him. "Who gave you that drink?" He looks around and I open my mouth to respond, my tongue feels like it's six sizes too big.

"Kenji said Kyoya sent it for me." I mutter with a sigh. "I'm really tired." I lay my head back. Kyoya is at my side then, I hadn't noticed him walk over. They exchange words, but it's all in slow motion. I can't understand a word their saying.

"Anya, please stay with us." Yuuichi's voice breaks through the fog and I do my best to keep my eyes open.

* * *

I open my eyes and see immediately that I'm in a hospital room. What happened? I was at the engagement party and then…did I pass out from the anxiety? That has happened to me before, it's terrible. Why would I be at the hospital though? Maybe I hit my head when I fell. Wasn't I talking to Akito? Or was it Yuuichi? I hear a sniffle and glance over to see Maman asleep with her head resting on the bed next to my hand. She has tear stains on her face. I lift my hand and smooth her hair. She jumps and looks at me.

"Maman, what's the matter? Why are you crying?" I ask, wiping some of her tears away. She takes my hand.

"My baby…" She says, fresh tears making new stains on her perfect face. "I'll get the doctor." She stands up and goes out of the room. She returns, and this time my father, Mr. Ohtori and Kyoya are with her, as well as Dr. Honda.

"Anya, do you remember what happened?" She asks and I shake my head. "Someone put something in your drink and you passed out." She explains and I feel my eyebrows furrow. "The drug had no adverse effects on you other than making you fall asleep."

"The young man who gave you the drink was apprehended." Mr. Ohtori says as Dr. Honda comes over and checks me out again. "He has informed us that he was working for the same man who kidnapped Francois."

"Kenji?" I ask, laying back down again as she finishes. "But…I thought he was a friend. He was very nice to me."

"He was told to get close to you." Maman says, taking a seat in her chair again. "He was trying to take you from us, baby." I sigh.

"I thought that things would get better once…I don't know." As I speak, I search for Kyoya and find him hanging back by the door. He looks livid. "Well, we caught him…so maybe we'll be able to catch whoever that man is now."

"Perhaps." Mr. Ohtori says and I sigh again. "Henri, if you would join me and we can speak more about the situation."

"Of course." My father says before he comes over and kisses the top of my head. "Papa will take care of this."

"I know." I say with a smile and he walks out with Mr. Ohtori and Dr. Honda. "Maman…I'm really thirsty."

"I'll go and get you something." She says, kissing my forehead before she exits. I look at Kyoya and hold my hand out to him.

"Please don't stay all the way across the room." I say and he walks over, taking my hand. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

"It isn't your fault." He says, his tone short and clipped. "How do you feel?" He looks over me.

"I feel fine now…just sleepy." I say, bringing his hand to my mouth and kissing it gently. "How long was I out?"

"It's noon." He says and I chuckle a little. "This isn't funny, Anya." I look up at the ceiling and sigh.

"Kyoya, if I don't laugh I'll cry." I say and that stops him short. "Everyone must be worried…"

"They're all in the waiting room. Tamaki's been here since six this morning and everyone else has trickled in all morning. Adelaide is furious." He says, and I smile at how similar they are.

"That sounds a lot like you." I say and he shrugs. "Will you smile? I think that would restore my strength."

"Really Anya…" He says and I frown deeply. "Anya…" I make a face like I'm about to start crying and so he smiles briefly.

"It wasn't enough…" I say, rolling over and hiding my face in the pillow. "Kyoya, why do you wish to make me so sad?"

"Annie…" He says and I look up at him. He's smiling down at me. "I love you…so you need to promise me that you'll try to be more careful."

"Since you love me, I guess I can promise." I say with a shrug. "Let me guess, I'm getting a security detail that will basically be attached to my hip."

"Oh you better believe it." He says and I shake my head. "But…it isn't one of my father's men."

"Good afternoon, Miss Masson." Sergio says as he walks into the room. I jump out of bed, run over and hug him.

"Dummy, call me Anya." I say, and he chuckles as he pats my back gently. "I'm not with you for a few months and everything goes to Hell."

"Not everything." I say and then I feel a little embarrassed. "Sergio, this is my fiancé Kyoya."

"I have met with the young Mr. Ohtori already…" He says and I facepalm, of course he has. "Why don't you get back into bed? Your mother is coming back with a drink for you and you know how upset she'll be if you're up when she gets back." He suggests and I crawl back into the hospital bed. "I will be back at your side, always."

"I know, Sergio. After all of this there's no chance in hell you'll ever leave again." I say and he hums his agreement.

"I will be in the hallway." He says before he ducks out of the room. I look up at Kyoya and smile.

"Sergio has been with us since I was a little girl. He's the one who taught me how to ice skate." I say and he smiles again.

"I'm glad that you have someone you can trust. He and Tachibana will no doubt be working close." He says and I nod. "You should rest."

"I'm starting to feel less tired." I say, sitting crosslegged under the blanket. My mother walks back in with a bottle of water. "Maman, why didn't you tell me Sergio was back?"

"He flew in just this morning." She explains and I smile. "With your Mamie." I feel my jaw drop.

"Where is she!?" I want to get up again, but I know that they'll yell at me. "Please, Maman, I've missed Mamie so much."

"She is getting settled in at home before she comes to see you." She explains and my smile just gets bigger. "She will be bringing Francois with her."

"Okay…am I going to get to go home today?" I ask and she looks uncertain. "The rest of the day, really?"

"Maybe another night too…" She says and I sigh. "It's just because we want to make sure that you are absolutely okay."

"I know, but I hate the hospital…and all doctors except for Dr. Honda." I say and Kyoya purses his lips to keep from laughing.

"Well, don't let your future brother-in-laws hear you say that." Maman says, also amused. "Dr. Honda is your attending physician, isn't she? So she'll probably be the only doctor seeing you."

"One of them, but I can assure you that the rest of the doctors in this hospital are the best." Kyoya says as he twists the cap off of my water for me. "Drink."

"Yes, sir." I say saluting as I take a drink. "Maman, you should go home and rest for a little while. I'm okay."

"I can't leave my baby." She says, but then she looks down at herself. "Well…maybe an hour to freshen up wouldn't be so terrible. Kyoya, I trust that you can look out for her for me?"

"Yes, ma'am." He says, and she smiles. "And please don't try to rush yourself…she is perfectly safe here."

"I know, dear, but when you're a parent you'll understand." She says and then she kisses me on the forehead again. "I'll bring Mamie and Francois when I return."

"Okay, Maman." I say, squeezing her hand before she leaves the room. "Mamie is going to love you."

"I look forward to meeting her." He says, walking over and taking a seat in the chair that my mother had been sitting in. "I think that you should try to get some more rest."

"I think that you should go lick a goat's asshole." I mutter and he laughs. "Sorry…I get grumpy when I'm in the hospital."

"It's understandable, let's not make a habit of this." He says and I salute again. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Why wouldn't I? It's a joke." I say and he shakes his head. "You know what? I think you should go and get the club…they're going to worry until they know I'm awake."

"If that is what you want…Tamaki will probably be a little overbearing." He says as he stands up. "I'll be back."

"Don't get lost." I say and he walks out. I search around and find a bag on the table next to my bed. Within the bag I find a hair tie, some clothes, my shampoo and condition, my brush, and some books. I pull my hair into a bun and twist around so I can pop my back. When I turn back, everyone is there. Takashi, Hikaru, and Tamaki are all holding vases filled with beautiful flowers. "Oh you guys." I say with a smile. "You didn't have to bring me flowers."

"We wanted to." Hikaru says as he goes over and sets them on the ledge underneath the window. "How do you feel?"

"Don't be so anxious, I'm fine. I didn't spill anything on my dress, did I?" I ask and he looks at me incredulously. "What? That's my favorite dress you guys have ever made for me. I don't want it ruined."

"The dress is fine." Takashi says, and I can tell he is angry…not at me, but at Kenji probably.

"Oh Annie…" Tamaki says, tears springing to his eyes. "I thought that you were done for."

"I'm fine Tamaki…I shall live to fight another day!" I proclaim heroically. "But seriously guys…the flowers are great."

"Annie-chan…" Mitskuni walks over and takes my hand. "We're all really worried…" I can't stand the look on his face.

"I know…I'm sorry. I guess I should only accept drinks from people I know really well." I say, trying to lighten the mood. "Oh come on…Uh…would it make you guys happy to meet my bodyguard?"

"So that's who tall, scary, and European was." Addie says and I crack a grin. She sits down next to me on the bed. "Bring him in."

"Sergio, could you come in here?" I call and he pokes his head in. "I want to formally introduce you to my very best friends."

"It would be an honor." He says, bringing himself fully into the room. Now that I think about it, he is really kind of scary looking.

"Alright. Hikaru, Kaoru, Takashi, Mitskuni, Tamaki, Adelaide, and Haruhi. Meet Sergio, the best body guard I have ever known." I say, gesturing to everyone as I say their names.

"To be fair, I'm the only body guard you have ever known." He says and I laugh. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I would like to apologize for how strange this girl is."

"We've learned to deal with it." Addie says with a shrug. "So when do you get out of this joint?"

"Not today…but probably tomorrow? I don't know." I say, shrugging. "Hopefully as soon as possible."

"You'll get out when you get out, Anya." Sergio says, giving me a look. "You're not leaving until you've got a clean bill."

"Sir." I say, saluting him. He shakes his head as he walks out of the room. "God I've missed him."

"I like him." Addie says and I lean over and give her a hug. "Don't go getting sappy on me, Annie."

"Alright." I say, sitting back. "Who else wants a hug?" I ask and I'm bombarded. Mitskuni, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki all group hug me and somehow squeeze Addie into the mixture…much to her dismay.

* * *

I walk out of the bathroom and walk quietly back over to the hospital bed as I notice Kyoya asleep in the chair. I climb in and lay down so my face is close to his. He stirs, and his face scrunches up for a moment before he wakes up. His eyes open slowly and then they focus on mine.

"Go back to sleep." I whisper and he sits up. "You're a bad listener. I said go back to sleep. Just because I'm awake and have to be here doesn't mean that you have to be exhausted."

"I'd rather be awake." He says, sitting back. "And besides," He starts, looking at his watch. "I got about an hour of sleep just then."

"You're so funny." I mutter, rolling over. "I should send you home…make you leave me alone here."

"I couldn't do that." He says and I roll back over part way so that I can look at him. "I'd miss seeing you too much."

"It must tear you apart when we go a few days without seeing each other, then." I say and he shrugs. "Ah, but it is as they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder."

"That may be true, but it was nice having you around all the time. I'll have to get used to it again someday." He says and I smile.

"I like when you talk about our future…even though that was a little snarky." I say and he returns the smile. "I dream about it a lot."

"I would love to hear about your dreams." He says and I lay on my back looking up at the ceiling. "What's that?"

"I'm tired…not physically…but emotionally. Everything just feels out of place lately and then there's all of this stuff with that man." I say and Kyoya takes my hand. "I just wish that I didn't have to be so strong all the time."

"If there is one thing I have noticed about you it is that no matter what the circumstance you do not choose to be strong. Your strength is something that is innate…it is just who you are." He says carefully.

"You think highly of me." I say with a laugh. "I think what I need to do is start working out again. I've gotten lazy."

"That can be arranged." He says and I smile. "I really had no idea how avidly you used to exercise."

"It started when I was fourteen. I was overweight, so I started working out. I lost the extra weight and I was happier, so I figured it was a win-win situation." I say and then I sit up. "I'm restless."

"I noticed." He says and I narrow my eyes at him. "Why don't you dry your hair better? I don't want you to catch a cold."

"I'm okay." I say as I pull it back and braid it. "What's something that I could do that would make me not restless that would still allow me to rest?"

"Probably nothing, when you're restless everything is impossible." He says and I narrow my eyes again. "I'm only telling you the truth."

"Kyoya, dear, sometimes it is okay to lie to the woman of your dreams. Only in small instances such as that, though." I say and he chuckles. "What? Am I not the woman of your dreams? It isn't too late, you know."

"Shut up." He says with a roll of his eyes. "Why don't you tell me about your dreams? That might occupy your mind enough to get you to sit still."

"Perhaps…what kind of dream would you like to hear about?" I ask and he shrugs. "Well, I have very strange dreams sometimes…like the night before last I had this one dream and I woke up sick to my stomach. I was at home with Maman and for some reason I had to stick my own arm and fill up one of those blood bag things. So I did, but I wasn't sure how full it was supposed to be so she called some number and we talked to a doctor…We eventually decided that I had enough. I was holding the bag and it was really warm…because well, yeah, blood. It didn't look like normal blood though, it looked like jam or something."

"Like jam?" He asks, raising an eyebrow at me. "Is that all the dream was? Because if not…you certainly have my attention."

"Well, after I made that observation she called me weird and told me to put the bag into the cooler. So I did and then we went to bed because I had to go to the doctor's in the morning. When I woke up that morning I went to school, even though I wasn't supposed to." I say and then I shake my head. "It was like I was in college though, so I was sitting in some building waiting for my class when Maman calls me and reminds me. I walk over to the hospital after that and go to sit in the coffee shop that is there to wait until it's time for my appointment. While I'm there I start talking to this boy about school and we start talking about how crazy his major is…for some reason I think that he is perfect for a friend of mine…so I'm texting her and trying to like keep his attention until she can get there. I never did get to the appointment…"

"That sounds like a very strange dream…" He says and I hide my face. "Well, that is the first time I've ever had anyone tell me their blood looked like jam."

"That was only in my dream." I say, pointing at him. "I doubt that my blood looks anything like jam." Suddenly, someone knocks on the door frame.

"I should hope that it doesn't." Yuuichi says from the doorway. He enters, taking it that it's okay. I mean, he is working…so it probably is? "I'm sorry to intrude, but I just wanted to check on you myself."

"I'm doing just fine." I say with a smile. "You guys won't be able to get rid of me that easily."

"I'm glad to hear it." He says with a smile. "Everyone was certainly given quite the scare, but I'm glad that it was nothing more serious than what it was."

"I think everyone is." I say a little dryly. "Hey, you're a doctor, is there any possible way that I could be sent home tonight?"

"Dr. Honda and I were talking about it and we're in agreement that we should hold you for observation for one more night. If in the morning you are still doing okay, then you should be home by tomorrow afternoon." He says as he glances at my chart.

"Alright Dr. Ohtori." I say and he smiles. "I guess since I've heard it from two doctors now, I have to obey."

"Absolutely." He says and then he checks his watch. "I have to get back to my rounds, have a good evening you two."

"You too, Yuuichi." I say with a smile and then he walks out. "Yuuichi is a lot less grumpy than you and Akito."

"He's also older than the two of us." He says and I shrug. "I feel like I've not been as grumpy lately."

"Oh, you've been pretty bad at some times. Especially when I tease you." I say and he regards me dryly.

"Of course…forgive me." He says and I laugh. "Get some rest." He orders and I raise my eyebrow.

"Are you okay?" I ask and he shrugs. "Kyoya…you can talk to me. I want you to feel comfortable enough to talk to me about how you feel."

"All I want is for you to be safe." He says and then he looks around the room. "Are you warm enough?"

"Yes…but you know what would be warmer?" I ask and he smiles a little as he takes off his jacket and gives it to me. "Just steal it back if you get cold." I say as I lay down on my side, putting my arms through the sleeves backwards. "It won't be hard." I snuggle up and close my eyes. Things have to start getting better now…they just have to.


	17. Behind Every Great Man

_Hey kids! Welcome to chapter 17! Sorry that it's taken so long, but I kind of ran out of ideas. This chapter is a little slow, but I anticipate the last three chapters to be pretty great! I just wanted to get your opinions on perhaps a sequel? Let me know in a review or you can private message me. Just let me know! I may start writing one for me, and if enough people express interest, I may post it. So, enjoy chapter 17! _

"I think having a dog would make me really happy. I always liked playing with Antoinette when I lived with Tamaki." I say as I stand up, finished with my stretching.

"If you want a dog, I can get you a dog." Kyoya says as he stands up as well. "Please go easy on me…"

"I thought you'd been working out." I say with a laugh and then we start jogging at a nice and easy pace. "This easy enough for you?"

"A little insultingly so, but thank you." He says and I smile. "What kind of dog would you like?"

"I think a golden retriever…and then he could go running with me. It would be so cute." I say and then shake my head. "That's not the only reason I would want a golden retriever. They're very smart and generally they're not very loud. They're very good cuddlers."

"You would get a dog for its cuddling abilities." He says and I can hear the roll of his eyes. "Aren't you cold?"

"Kyoya, if you can't be comfortable with my workout attire, then you need to find someone else to work out with…except I know you're shy about it." I say, picking up the pace ever so slightly. "I have no idea what you're going to do when it's warm out and I can run outside."

"I'll just have to jog with you." He says and I give him a side glance. "What? To discourage other men from staring at you."

"Kyoya, you do realize whenever I would run outside, Sergio would be right there with me." I say and he shrugs. "Oh, you're cute when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous." He says and I laugh. We jog in silence, making out first lap around the track.

"How are you doing?" I ask after I take a drink of water. I look over at him and he appears to be okay.

"I feel good." He says and I smile. We lapse into silence again, and I just enjoy the feeling of running again.

"You did well." I compliment as I walk up to him. "Now, tell me the surprise." I say, pointing at him menacingly.

"Alright…" He says and we start walking. We head out into the early spring air and I draw my jacket together.

"Aren't you going to tell me the surprise?" I ask, looking around. He just laughs. "Oh, you were being a smart ass."

"You should come to expect it now." He says and I flip him off. As we approach the car, Sergio steps out of the passenger's seat and opens the door for me.

"Did you have a good run, ma'am?" He asks as I walk up. I smile and nod before I get in. Kyoya climbs in on the other side and then we're off.

"Kyoya's going to get me a dog, Sergio." I say with a smile. "He's going to be Francois' hero…even more so than he is now." I tack that on dryly.

"I think you would benefit from having a dog." He says and I smile again. "Another running partner."

"That's what I was saying. How was your break? I hope that you took a short nap." I say and he shrugs. "You're so talkative, Sergio, my goodness."

"Always, ma'am." He says and I can hear the smile in his tone. I sit back, laying my head on the back of the seat and cross my legs.

"It's refreshing to see you in high heels again, I was beginning to worry that something was wrong." Kyoya notes and that sets off Sergio chuckling silently.

"Well it's hardly practical to wear heels when there is snow and ice on the ground. You pretend like I'm some idiot." I say as I turn my foot to get a good look at my shoes. "What's the surprise?"

"Oh, I'll tell you." Kyoya says, smiling a little. He reaches over and takes my hand. I pout, glancing over at him. He regards me passively.

"If you were a Frenchman, you would be falling over at my feet with this face." I say and he shrugs. "You're so mean to me."

"I'm only mean because I don't give into your every whim." He says and I scoff. "You scoff, but it's the truth."

"Part of me likes the fact that you call me on bullshit…but another part of me wishes that you still fell over yourself to impress me." I say and he gives me that fake serene smile. "Stop it, you know I hate that."

"I'm sorry." He says, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. The car stops then and I look around. "We're here…I'm going to cover your eyes when we get out."

"These romantic surprises have got to stop." I grumble, closing my eyes as he gets out of the car. My door is opening and I swing my legs around and get out. He guides me, putting a hand over my eyes. "I'm going start wearing my glasses."

"Then I could just tell you to take them off and then I wouldn't need to cover your eyes." He says and I find his arm and pinch him.

"That was very rude. I don't want to go to the surprise anymore." I say, stopping right where I stand. "You can find an obedient fiancé who will put up with such behavior."

"Anya, it was only a joke." He says gently and I sigh as I begin walking again. We step inside somewhere and I hear music. He suddenly uncovers my eyes and the first thing I see is that we're at the aquarium…but there aren't any people…just a table set for two. "Do you like it?"

"I think this is one of my favorite romantic surprises yet." I say with a smile. We walk over to the table and he helps me into my seat. "You're getting better at this."

"I should hope so." He says as he sits down. "After all, I am going to be marrying a Frenchwoman. I have to keep up grand gestures of romance for our entire lives."

"You don't have to…but it does make me happy." I say with a smile. "What are the chances Tamaki's going to call you freaking out during this one?"

"Absolutely zero." He says and I laugh. He probably threatened bodily harm if he ruined this date. "So this isn't too much?"

"Not at all...I wouldn't go much more than this, but a boy has never rented out an aquarium just to have a special lunch with me before." I say and he smiles.

"I'm glad…" He says and we lapse into silence as I admire the view. Kyoya in the dim light…all of the beautiful sea life.

* * *

"You look upset." Kyoya notes as he saunters over to the kitchen. I shake my head, placing my icing into a piping bag. "What kind of cupcakes are you making?"

"Lavender with a lemon buttercream icing." I say, tying off the bag and laying it aside. I pick up a lemon and begin zesting it into a bowl.

"Please tell me what's wrong?" He says, sitting down on one of the bar stools. "Anya…" I look at him.

"Oh fine." I sigh as I set the lemon down. "It's just…my parents have been suffocating me lately. I know I sound like such the heiress…but they think that I have to behave a certain way just because I'm your fiancé. I don't think they realize how much your father enjoys my personality as is."

"That is very true..." He says, sounding thoughtful and I lean on the counter, looking up into his eyes.

"What do you know?" I ask and he avoids my eyes. "Kyoya…what do you know?" I'm hopeful that the use of his name will butter him up. "Kyo?"

"Our parents have decided that they would like for us to marry right after we graduate next year." He says and I feel my jaw drop open.

"Absolutely not." I say and he hums. "It's not you, it's just that I'm not ready for that." I say and he looks a little amused. "What are you laughing about?"

"The fact that you reduce me to a puddle." He says and I roll my eyes. "You know what you do to me."

"All too well." I say and then I go to get the cupcakes from the cooling unit. I take them form the pan and set them up to easily frost them. "I like when you come over to visit the help."

"You're not the help." He says with a roll of his eyes. "If you don't want to bake for the club anymore, you don't have to."

"I know." I say and then I begin piping the icing onto the cupcakes. "I wonder…how does this smell to you?"

"Actually, it smells very good." He says and I smile, handing over one of the cupcakes to him. He peels back the wrapper and tastes it. "A new favorite, I think."

"I aim to please." I say and then I continue piping the icing. "I can't believe I actually made something you like."

"Everything you make always tastes impeccable; I'm just not a big fan of sweets." He says and then he comes around to throw the paper away. "Except I really did enjoy that cupcake."

"Perhaps I could try a honey icing next time." I say and he raises his eyebrows. "What? It's a very natural sweet."

"Don't make it specifically for me…I want you to make things you like." He says and then Addie walks over.

"Look at you two, being cute." She says as she puts a tray into the dish washer. "Are those the lavender ones? Mitskuni and Takashi are excited to try them."

"Yup!" I say as I slide them onto a tray. "They're Kyoya-approved, so tell them that they'll really enjoy them." I say and she salutes before she takes the tray and heads over. I smile at my fiancé before I start another batch.

"I thought that was the last batch for the day." He says, regarding me with curiosity. I shrug, mechanically going about making them.

"I thought I would send some home with you." I say and he smiles, going back around and sitting down. As I finish the batter, I fill the muffin cups and slide them into the oven. I get to work on cleaning up. "Do you want the honey icing or the lemon buttercream?"

"The lemon is fine…and I feel like I should warn you…Both of our parents are cornering you tonight. Prepare your arguments." He says and I sigh. "It's is more our fathers. My mother is in favor of waiting until you're ready and your mother just wants you to be happy."

"If they were concerned about my happiness, they would all butt out." I mutter, mixing the ingredients for the icing and filling the piping bag. I wash the dishes by hand since I'd already started the dish washer. "Are you unhappy with how things are?"

"Frankly, I agree with you." He says and I sigh, walking over and resting my head against his chest. "Is it because they still haven't caught that jerk?"

"Perhaps…" He says, and I can tell that he really isn't sure. "Would it be so terrible if we got married right away?"

"It wouldn't be terrible…" I say, taking his left hand. I imagine the simple silver ring resting on his finger. "But Kyoya…we're so young."

"I know." He says, lacing his fingers with my own. "I want you to be happy…and if that means waiting to marry you, I'd wait a lifetime."

"Aw, you're sweet." I say, bring his hand to my mouth and kissing it gently. The timer goes off and I go over and remove the pan from the oven. I set it on the cooling unit and go and lean against the counter. "I just want things to be normal between us."

"Things can never be normal for us." He says and I sigh because I know that it's true. "I promise I'll try."

"I know." I say and then I go over and move the cupcakes to the freezer, they'll cool faster that way. "Just so you know…we will be at dinner tonight, but I probably won't be speaking to my parents."

"Don't make a scene." He says and I can only grin. I tap my foot anxiously as I wait for the cupcakes to cool. "The face you're making…"

"Oh I know." I say and then I check the cupcakes. They're cool enough. I take them out of the pan and Kyoya takes it from me. I hear the sounds of him washing it in the sink as I ice them. I finish the icing and I put them into one of the fold up boxes that we keep on hand. "I'll see you tonight." I say, walking over and standing on my toes to kiss him on the cheek.

* * *

"You're so hilarious." I say as I walk into my father's office. "Henri Masson the Comedian. You should take up that department too."

"Anya." He says, turning away from his computer and folding his hands in front of me. "Have a seat."

"I'll stand, thank you." I say, trying to keep myself from pacing. "Father, why do you think that it is a good idea to try and force me into marrying Kyoya? I already love him, it is already going to happen one day. Why does that big brain of yours think that trying to push me, your daughter who is much like you in many respects, into marrying him?"

"There are any number of reasons why you two should be married as soon as possible, Anya." He says and I feel my eye twitch. "As your father, I am only trying…"

"As my father you are only trying to take ownership of my body in medieval ways that I will not allow. I am a human being, not a piece of property. I am not a pawn to be used. I don't care what kind of pressures Kyoya's father is putting on our family, I will marry Kyoya when I damn well please and no one is going to push me into anything." I say, my voice progressively getting louder. "It would kill me, but if the two of you don't stop shamelessly trying to push a young girl around I will call off the engagement and cut all of my ties to the Ohtori family. Is that what you want? I know how beneficial it is for you for me to be in love with Kyoya, I'm not a stupid little girl, but by God, I will end that."

"You don't come to play, do you?" He asks calmly and I feel my irritation start to bubble. "Anya, please sit down.

"No thank you, I'll stand." I say, stubbornness dictating that I do the exact opposite of what he wants.

"I am not trying to control you, Anya. I do not see you as a pawn at my disposal." He says calmly. "As I was saying before, I am only trying to protect you. Ohtori is a tough man and if he thinks that you're not serious about his son…"

"Then I'll tell him just how serious about his son that I am." I say, putting my hands on my hips. "I do not need you to protect me. I've held my own here. You and Maman have raised me to be able to handle myself. I am not a little girl who can be fooled by big words and an intimidating business suit. Mr. Ohtori does not frighten me."

"No you are not." He agrees. "I am very proud of the way you have been conducting yourself while you have been here. I am curious, what do you think of Mr. Ohtori?"

"I think that he is a very harsh man. I disagree with how he uses his children, but at the end of the day he is still a father. I see that he cares about how successful his children are, and not just for his potential financial gains." I say and then I think on it. "He is very intelligent, of course."

"You see people for who they are. This makes you different from a lot of people in our world who will only look at people for what they have to offer. Kyoya presents himself as one of those people, but he is really a lot more like you than even he thinks." He says and I shake my head.

"I know that, but this isn't about my compatibility with Kyoya. This is about how you are trying to manipulate my future, and that is not okay." I say and now he shakes his head.

"No, darling, Ohtori is trying to manipulate Kyoya's future." He says and I sit down, taking a breath to calm myself. "Kyoya would never speak to his father the way you just spoke to me."

"Between you and Maman, I never had a prayer for being quiet and well-behaved." I say and he laughs. "So you're not pushing?"

"Ohtori is pushing. I would like for you to marry Kyoya sooner, but I know that it's useless to try and force you to do anything. He'll learn this evening." He says and I shake my head. "Why don't you go and get ready?"

"I feel like I should wear a suit." I say as I stand up. My father shakes his head. "I'm playing hard ball, Papa. This man will not rule my future."

"At this rate, Yoshio will end up making you the patriarch." He says and I shrug. "Well, as you know, behind every great man is a woman who kept his kahunas in a jar on her own desk."

"Damn straight." I say with a smile and then I wave over my shoulder as I exit his office. I return to my room and begin getting ready.

* * *

Upon entering the sitting room I realize that the entire family is in the house. This is a family dinner, I suppose. Francois is even here.

"Anya, I love your dress." Fuyumi says as I enter the room. I smile at her, and I know that I am stunning. I took specific care to make sure. I must present myself as what Yoshio Ohtori could lose…though of course I have everything to lose as well. I just have to hope that he values me more than I think.

"Thanks, Fuyumi. How are things going?" I ask and she waves her hand. "I completely understand, but you'll be happy to know I found a sweet that Kyo likes."

"It's true." Kyoya says as he walks over to stand with me. Francois looks up at everyone in the room and squeezes my hand. He must feel the tension.

"My, Francois, you look so handsome in your suit. You look just like your father." Fuyumi enthuses and he turns bright red before hiding behind my leg.

"Francois, what do you say to Fuyumi?" I ask my brother, taking his hand again so that I can pull him into view.

"Thank you." He says bashfully and everyone chuckles. "May I go and play?" He asks, looking to my father for permission.

"Why don't you ask Mrs. Ohtori if she minds?" He suggests and Francois goes over to the lady in question.

"Mrs. Ohtori, may I go and play with in the toy room?" He asks respectfully and she smiles at him.

"Of course, Francois." She says and then she looks to the butler who accompanies my brother off into the house. With his exit, I feel a little more vulnerable. "So you did the impossible?" She asks, looking to me.

"Yes, it's a lavender cupcake with a lemon buttercream." I say with a smile. "I was experimenting, as I have never made a flowery cupcake before."

"Careful, Kyoya, you don't want to get fluffy." Akito says and I laugh. "With what he tells me of your baking at school, I'm surprised you aren't."

"I'm a lady." I say with a delicate shrug. "And a lady doesn't discuss such things in mixed company."

"She's absolutely right, don't be rude Akito." Fuyumi says, coming to my apparent rescue.

"Enough chit chat…why don't we get to real reason why we're all here this evening." Mr. Ohtori says as she enters the room. "Anya, why don't you have a seat?"

"No thank you, sir, I'll stand." I say, keeping my ground. "I don't mind if you would like to sit, though. I've been sitting all day."

"Very well." The older man says, remaining standing. I catch a glimpse of Yuuichi…he seems wary. "Anya, as your future father-in-law, I have been discussing the prospects of having you and Kyoya marry the spring you two graduate from high school."

"I must respectfully disagree with you." I say and he looks thrown for just a moment. A look of amusement flashes in his eyes. My mother braces herself for what she knows is about to get ugly.

"I admire your wit and your strong will, Anya. It is one of the many reasons that I have allowed for your relationship with my son." He says, and I keep my hands at my side. He is threatening me. "As you know, it is a very happy convenience that you two appear to have fallen in love."

"A very happy convenience indeed." I say tersely. Akito looks to be fuming and Fuyumi appears troubled. Mrs. Ohtori looks much like my mother…perhaps Mr. Ohtori is in fact the orchestrator. Kyoya has been odd since we got here.

"This aside, I am not asking you to marry my son next spring. I am telling you that this is what will happen, or else I will find another more anxious bride for him." He says and I feel my lip curl back in an amused smile. I take one of Kyoya's fists that he had squeezed to calm him. To let him know that he doesn't have to fight his father…

"Mr. Ohtori…" I say in my calm and respectful voice. "As I am sure you are very aware, both of our families are very prominent. Your son is probably the catch of our entire year and I, by some stroke of fate, have been privileged with the opportunity to be engaged to him." He isn't sure what to make of what I've said so far. "That being said, you must not realize how fortunate you are that I fell in love with your son. Our families, while both believe in achieving success, operate in very different fashions. I have been raised to be unafraid in the face of men who want to tell me what to do. Behind every great man there is a woman who holds his kahunas in a jar on her desk." Mrs. Ohtori and my mother let laughs out of their carefully composed faces. "If you try to force Kyoya and I apart, it will only hurt you in the end. I am just as great a catch as he is, and you have the added benefit of a woman who will actually care for this family and not just what this family can offer her. I do not care about your money or how much Kyoya is worth. I don't need a dime. Now, my only question is are you feeling lucky, Mr. Ohtori? Because there's a list about a mile long of young men who would want even a shot at marrying me."

"You make some interesting points, Anya." He says and I glance over at my father who is beaming with pride. "You have raised a fine daughter, Henri."

"I cannot take full credit…I'm not entirely sure where she inherited that tongue from." Papa says and I look around the room.

"Behind every great man…" Mr. Ohtori muses and then he laughs, he actually laughs. "I rather like that. And what do you think, Kyoya?"

"Other than the benefits of the happiness Anya brings me, she is obviously very capable of handling herself in situations where her back may be against the wall." My fiancé manages and I squeeze his hand. "Frankly, we cannot afford to lose her."

"Oh Kyoya, that was so cute." Fuyumi says and I smile. I look up at him and he looks back at me, love and admiration in his eyes.

"Alright then, I suppose that it's settled then. Anya, I would like for you to at least consider the idea." Mr. Ohtori says and I smile.

"Persistence must be a family trait." I say and this brings about laughter. The atmosphere becomes much lighter as the evening progresses…dinner is delicious, as I expected.

* * *

"You are insanely brave…or perhaps we should reverse that." Kyoya says as we walk through the gardens together. I look up at him. "When he threatened you…I…"

"You knew I could handle myself." I say with a smirk and he looks away. "Kyoya…you did know that I would be able to handle myself, right?"

"I was afraid that he was going to run you off." He says after a moment and I give him a look. "What is that look?"

"That's me telling you to stop being stupid. I was bluffing. It would have killed me for this to be called off…but I can't let him walk all over me or else that will be an invitation for him to treat me like a door mat for the rest of my life." I say and he smiles a little.

"That's why he likes you." He says and then I walk ahead a few steps and start walking backwards in front of him. "What are you doing?" He asks, catching my hands. "You'll fall."

"You wouldn't let that happen." I say with a shrug. I stop then, and he makes sure not to run into me. I hug him hard, burying my face in his chest. "I was afraid that I was going to lose you."

"Had you not handled the situation so well, you would have witnessed me speaking against my father." He says, hugging me back. "Anya…I love you."

"I love you too." I say, looking up at him. He leans down and kisses me sweetly on the forehead. "Hey, you missed." He rolls his eyes, but then he kisses me.

"You're perfect." He says, resting his forehead against the top of my head. I have my eyes closed, taking in the moment.

"It's my imperfections that make me perfect, you know." I say and he hums. "Can we just stay like this forever?"

"I wish that we could." He says and I feel his lips brush my hair. "I understand that you want to wait…but I want to know why."

"Primarily right now it's a stubborn act against your father. Before…and it's still a factor…I'm just afraid that once you marry me…you won't love me anymore." I say and he pulls back to look at me.

"Anya Masson, on what planet do people stop loving each other once they get married?" He asks and I shrug. "Let's get married…"

"No, it's a stubborn act against your father. Let's wait until we're thirty." I say and he gives me a look. "I'm kidding…how about our second year of university? Like…officially, that's when it's going to happen."

"That's reasonable…I don't see why not." He says and then he smiles. "Would you like to go and tell our families now?"

"Sure." I say with a shrug and we walk hand and hand back into the house. We find our families in the sitting room, drinking coffee.

"Miss Masson, would you like your usual coffee?" The maid asks and I nod and smile. She prepares it for me. "And Master Ohtori?"

"None for me, thank you." He says and then he gestures for me to sit down. I give him a look, but I sit down none the less. "So…Anya and I were talking and we have decided that we would like to get married in our second year of university."

"Of course she would." Papa says and I have to keep myself from laughing. "Alright…Anya, I hope that you realize the force you have unleashed within your mother."

"You also have to deal with Fuyumi and I…I was so sad to only have one daughter." Mrs. Ohtori says and I smile.

"The Hitachiin twins already have a six month head start." I say dryly. "Mrs. Hitachiin says that they have an entire room dedicated."

"I'm looking forward to working with them." Fuyumi says, giving me a scary look. "It's not every day that my little brother gets married."

"Fuyumi." Kyoya says and I laugh and then I sip my coffee. Francois runs in and sits on my lap. "Good evening, Francois."

"Hey Kyo." He says, playing with the toy. "Did you convince Annie to marry you next year?"

"No such luck, we've settled for the year after that." He says and my brother hums. "We should have sent you in."

"I wouldn't have. I love Annie more than you, sorry." Francois says and we all laugh, even Akito.

"That's alright." Kyoya says and I smile, leaning down and kissing the top of my brother's head.

"What do you think of Anya getting married, Francois?" Yuuichi asks my brother and he looks over at him.

"I think that it's alright…Kyoya is a very nice man and he takes care of her when she's sad. I'm glad because I can't take care of her because I'm so little." He says and Yuuichi smiles. I wonder when Francois started to get so talkative around adults…


	18. Silly Love

_Welcome to chapter 18, my lovely readers. We're in the home stretch now, just two more chapters! What more can I put these two through? I hope you enjoy finding out! An update: It's probably going to be a little while before chapter 19 comes out. This Friday I am having my wisdom teeth removed and I'm sure that you don't want me to write while drugged. If you are interested (as I kind of am too), let me know and if I do write, then I can send it to you! It can only be fun! Anyway, enjoy the chapter! _

I open my eyes and immediately I can tell that something is not right. My head throbs with an unforgiving headache and after a few moments of thought, a sob escapes my mouth. Two forms jump upon hearing me and I look over and see Addie and Haruhi. Everything was real…Addie crawls across the bed and hugs me tight. I sob into her shoulder, allowing her to rock me back and forth. Haruhi has a stern and confused look on her face.

"We're going to find him and you're not going to give in to that terrible man." Addie promises, holding me tighter. My breathing picks up and before I know it, a panic attack is ripping me a new one.

"No!" I scream to nothing in particular. The broken sobs and breathing make it difficult to really form any coherent sentences for my friends. Then all of a sudden it all stops. I'm quiet except for the ragged breaths I'm taking in. "He can't be gone." I whisper. "I can't be the reason he…"

"He isn't gone." Addie says, interrupting me. "He's just…not here right now." She finishes and I feel horrible because I can tell that all of this is taking its toll on her.

"You're right." I say, sitting up. Haruhi takes one of my hands and offers a supportive smile. "I am not going about this in the right way."

"Okay…what do you want to do?" Addie asks carefully and I take a deep breath before crawling off of the bed. I walk into my closet and get dressed. I put on one of Kyoya's favorite dresses that I wear and fix myself up.

"It's time I stop being a little girl and I start being Kyoya's fiancé. That man wishes to speak with me, and I will speak with him." I say as I go over to my vanity and begin applying makeup.

"Are you sure?" Haruhi asks, standing up and coming over to me. "Because you don't have to…Mr. Ohtori and your father have said that."

"Haruhi…this man is in love with me…so perhaps I can convince him to release Kyoya and then everything can go back to normal." I say, stopping briefly. I shake my head and then finish up my face. I style my hair, making a mental note to have a haircut later. "Will you guys….come with me?"

"Of course." Haruhi says, like it's ridiculous that I asked. Addie stands up and the three of us head out. I find Sergio sitting at the desk in his office, he stands when we enter.

"Sergio…will you please drive us to the Ohtori estate?" I ask when he looks up at me. His eyes search my face, but it is a perfectly composed and totally sane looking. His eyes briefly flicker between Addie and Haruhi.

"Right away." He says, deeming me fit. He leads the way out of the house and we climb into the back of the black car, my friends holding onto either of my hands. We make great time and arrive at the Ohtori estate in about ten minutes. Sergio has to flash his security badge, but we are allowed in with no problems. Of course we are.

"I'll be back." I say to my friends as we walk up the front steps. The door is opened for us by the butler and I head straight up the stairs and to Mr. Ohtori's office. I knock on the door and the man in questions opens the door.

"Anya…" He says, his face betraying his shock for just a moment. "Please, come in." He steps back and I walk into the office. My father is sitting in one of the chairs, but he stands as I walk in.

"Darling, shouldn't you be at home, resting?" He asks and I shake my head. "Anya…please, we have this handled."

"Papa, I am not doing my job. Please allow me to do my job. Now…please tell me everything we know." I say, looking to Mr. Ohtori.

"So far, we have been unable to locate Kyoya." He says and I nod, keeping my composition. "Johnson continues to ask to speak with you and he assures us that my son is alright."

"Then I will speak with him." I say and then something hits me. "Christ, I forgot…Kyoya's watch. I had it chipped because he kept doing the same to me." I go over to the computer and pull it up. "This is way too easy though, so I doubt that getting him back will be that easy."

"Your sense of humor will save many lives." My father says, looking satisfied despite the situation. "That is within the general area of what we have been able to find."

"Yes…thank you, Anya." Mr. Ohtori says and I sit down, feeling my bold streak start to break. "We will contact you when Johnson asks to speak with you again. Until then…it might improve my wife's mood to see you."

"Of course…" I say, standing again. I bow respectfully to him. "Kyoya is brave and he is smart…We will find him." I walk out and head for the sitting room. I find the Ohtori siblings, Addie, Haruhi, my mother and Mrs. Ohtori all there. Upon seeing me, Fuyumi's eyes glisten with tears.

"Darling." Maman says, smiling brightly at me. I walk over and sit beside her. "Is there any news?"

"Yes, I gave him a watch and as a joke I had it chipped because he had been done the same thing to me…and so I found him." I say and her eyes brighten. "I doubt it will be that easy to get him back…but we know where he is."

"That's fantastic." Addie says with a smile. I nod and offer a smile in return. "Does that jerk still want to talk to you?"

"Unfortunately, but I think that will be the only way." I say and my mother's shoulders slump. "It's going to be so hard to not give him a piece of my mind."

"Well after this, he is probably going to be put away for a very long time. Judging from how easily you located him…he probably doesn't know about the watch. We may have the jump on him." Yuuichi says and I nod. "Whatever happens, I know that my brother will come home safely."

"He has to." I say, but my tone is barely a whisper. I close my eyes, fighting against the tears and my mother wraps her arms around me. "I swear I'm never letting him out of my sight again."

"You should have heard Kyoya-senpai the one time you were kidnapped. I'd never seen him so angry." Haruhi says after a moment. "He said something similar to what you just said."

"I don't even want to know what he was thinking the first time Kenji tried to kidnap me…with that little concussion." I say, laughing a little.

"From what I heard, he was rather ungentlemanly." Addie says and I smile. All of a sudden my stomach growls loudly. "That reminds me, Mrs. Masson, Anya hasn't eaten anything since breakfast yesterday."

"Anya Marie-Sofie Masson." My mother says and I sigh. I look over and see both she and Mrs. Ohtori regarding me sternly.

"Mother, I don't think that you have any room to talk." Yuuichi says and then a hysterical giggle breaks past her mouth as her stomach growls as well.

"I suppose that you and I should eat something then." She says to me and I nod. Our party moves to the dining room and the serving staff brings out food. I don't pay much attention to the conversation going on around me as I eat.

* * *

"The Falcon is on the move." One of the security guards says from the front seat. I know that he's communicating with the other officers. I look at my father, concern clear on my face. He takes my hand and squeezes it. The car stops and Mr. Ohtori gets out, my father follows and tries to close the door but I sneak out before he can. I follow their brisk pace easily. Sergio arrives at my side and we move to the mobile base that the Black Onion Squad has set up.

"Is he acting alone?" Tachibana asks as he examines the screen. To me, that's what it looks like, but I don't say anything.

"Yes, sir." Another officer says and my heart threatens to beat out of my chest. "It looks as though he's running North."

"I'll go and get him." I say and everyone looks at me…almost like I'm crazy. "Sergio can come with me…we're faster than him."

"Anya." Sergio says and I look to him. He examines me for a moment. "Sir?" He looks to my father.

"You keep my girl safe, Sergio." Papa says and I take off running. I'm glad that instead of high heels, I put on my Keds. They're no tennis shoes, but they're definitely easier to run in.

"Anya, take a left up here." Sergio orders and I do so. I push myself faster, probably harder than I've ever pushed myself before. I wonder if Kyoya would do the same…probably not, I am a lot faster than he is. Though, I'm sure that his security unit is a lot faster than me. Why am I out here? "Anya, take a right." I take the turn, scraping my arm against the brick wall. It stings a bit, but it doesn't slow me down. Suddenly, I run into someone. The force knocks the breath out of me, but I'm ready to defend myself until I see that it's Kyoya. My heart stops beating for a second or is that the shock from having the wind knocked out of me?

"Anya!?" He exclaims, blood trickling down his lip. I stand up and launch myself into his open arms.

"Please, come with us." Sergio says and then we start running. I pull Kyoya along, anxious to get him out of this area…anxious to have his wounds treated. We run to the mobile base and I see the brief look of relief on Mr. Ohtori's face as he sees his son, but then he is back in control.

"As soon as he had Anya, he was going to kill me." Kyoya informs his father in a calm way that sends chills down my spine. "I saw an opportunity to escape, so I took it. If they are aware that I am gone, they haven't known for more than two minutes." My knees buckle at this information and Sergio catches me. "Sergio, please get her out of here. I do not doubt that they will try to get her."

"Kyoya…" I say, my voice stronger than I feel. He looks at me and I see the love and concern in his eyes. "Come home to me."

"As soon as I can." He promises. He walks over to me and I hug him tight. "I'm alright…"

"Your lip. I'm going to smack the shit out of that guy." I say and the corners of his mouth turn up.

"Go back to my house, please tell my mother that I will be home soon." He says and I pull him down to my level and kiss his forehead.

"Don't give me busy work. Dummy. Go get treated." I say and then I go to Sergio's usual car and climb into the back. Sergio drives me back to the Ohtori estate. I walk right in and go to the sitting room. I open my mouth to speak, but as soon as I do I break down in happy sobs. Mrs. Ohtori comes over and we hold each other, crying happily. "He specifically asked me to tell you that he would be home soon."

"Anya, please sit down." Yuuichi says as he pulls out a chair for me. "The back of your leg is bleeding….and your arm. I can take care of it."

"Oh." I say as I sit down. "That makes sense. Compared to me, your brother is built like a brick house." He chuckles as he takes the first aid kit from the maid and he begins cleaning the small wound. "He escaped and was running the wrong way, so Sergio and I went and got him. I ran right into him and fell."

"Typical Annie." Addie says and I smile. The atmosphere becomes so much lighter and ten minutes later, my love is home.

"Kyoya…" I say, allowing myself to be taken into his arms. "Kyoya…I…" I try to not cry…but I fail. "Should we get married sooner? Would that help us?"

"I'm not sure." He says and my arms tighten around him. "I don't want you to give anything up because you're afraid. They're going to be much more careful now."

"They've taken so much from me." I say, trying to relax, but it's impossible. "I have no sense of security anymore…what should I do?"

"Trust that I will take care of you…whether we are married or not. If you want to move the wedding up, I'm sure that we could work something out." He says and I stand up on my toes and kiss him. "Careful, darling."

"I know." I say and then I kiss him gently again. "I'm going to think about it. I should wait to make that decision because I am scared at the moment."

"I'm not." He says and then he squeezes my hands gently. "I trust that he will never lay a hand on you."

"But he laid his hands on you." I say and he shakes his head. "Bull shit, he obviously laid his hands on you, or had someone else do it."

"That's not what I mean." He chuckles. "What I mean is that you don't have to worry about me. I know that you will, but I am fine…I am alive and healthy. All I have are some bruises and scrapes."

"One scrape is one too many." I say and he smiles and kisses my forehead. "Kyo…" I am silenced by him kissing me.

"Just stop…enjoy me being back." He says and I sigh. We sit down and I curl up at his side. "Shall we watch a movie?"

"That sounds wonderful." I say and he turns on the television and he puts on some movie…I don't really pay attention to it, I'm too busy watching him…looking for signs that he's suffering more than he's letting on. Part of me feels bad for doing this, because I know how much I hate when people do that to me…but I'm worried. I suppose you could argue that I was finally beginning to understand how my friends always felt about me in these kinds of situations. I suppose that may be true, but I still hate it.

"Annie…please stop worrying and enjoy the movie. It's your favorite." He says and I turn my attention to the screen.

"You're my favorite thing to watch." I mutter and he chuckles. "Seriously Kyoya…I was a mess."

"I know and I hate that you were…" He says and I wrap both of my arms around him. "I'm sorry."

"Shut up." I say, burying my face in his chest. "I love you, and I never want you to be sorry for me worrying about you because I will always worry about you even when I probably have nothing to worry about."

"I know." He sighs. "What am I going to do with you? Anya Marie-Sofie Masson…" He mutters, looking down at me.

"Keep me, I hope." I say, glancing up at him through my eyelashes. This warrants a rare grin from him.

"Don't be silly, my dear, if either of us is keeping the other it is you that is graciously keeping me." He says and that brings a smile to my face. "You are the bravest woman I know."

"I'd have to be to marry into this family." I mutter and he chuckles again. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." He says and then he kisses my forehead. "I look forward to the day when I can call you my wife."

"Are you just going to call me Wife? Because I can call you Husband if you would like…when the time comes of course. We can't really call each other Fiancé now, because that would get confusing because you can't see the difference when you say it." I ramble on and he smiles again.

"Anya…let's be serious for a moment. You have piqued my interest with the idea of getting married sooner." He says and I don't back down from the statement. "What are you thinking about?"

"The pros and cons of getting married." I say simply and he hums. "Would you like to hear them?" He nods once. "Well…a pro would be that we could live together again. I miss waking you up in the mornings. Another one would be that people would stop trying to get me to break off our engagement. I suppose a benefit for my family would obviously be the unbreakable link with your family, but that doesn't matter to me. A con…would be that I'm young and I have adventures that I have yet to embark upon."

"Don't let this influence your decision…but I believe that we could embark upon those adventures together." He says and I smile.

"Do you want to marry me sooner? I mean…like…are we ready to do this?" I ask and he smiles.

"Annie...sometimes it feels like we're already married. I think that we could handle actually getting married." He says and I shake my head.

"You didn't answer my question. Kyoya, do you want to marry me sooner?" I ask and he looks at me for a moment.

"Yes." He says and I nod. "What do you want though? That is way more important to me than anything I could possibly want."

"I want you…for the rest of my life." I say and a serene smile plays across his lips. "We'll have to talk more about it."

"Of course." He says and then I get comfortable at his side and actually begin to watch the movie.

* * *

"Addie!" I call from the door to the changing room. "Will you help me with my corset?" I hear her response, and it's a grumble. "Come on, man."

"Have your man do it." She calls in a more audible tone and I see the form of my fiancé drag himself away from his computer. He walks into the room and I turn my back to him.

"Can you handle this?" I ask, a hint of amusement on my tone. He hums and starts tightening the laces. "I like that Tamaki is exploring different ideas…but I especially like that he made you Johnny Depp, Captain Jack Sparrow suites you." I say, breathing in so that he can tighten. "I, however, do not like corsets and I don't understand why I should be Elizabeth Swan."

"I think that this suites you." He says and I hear a hint of some unfamiliar tone. I turn my head, eyebrows scrunched together.

"What do you mean? I don't even have my costume on yet." I say and then it hits me. "Are you being a pervert?"

"Never mind." He says, pulling it tighter. I gasp. "Are you alright?" He asks and I nod, holding a hand over my poor midsection. "Once more…" I breathe in and he finishes.

"Thanks." I say with a smile and then he helps me into the dress. I walk over to the mirror and fix a couple of strands that had fallen out of place.

"You look lovely, Annie." Kyoya says as he walks over and hugs me from behind. I put my hands over his and smile at our reflection.

"You don't look so bad yourself…shall we?" I ask and we head out of the changing room.

"That took an awful long time…" Hikaru says, looking at us like we're guilty. I flip open my fan and fan myself.

"How dare you accuse a lady of such things." I say and then I begin walking away. "If you need us, Addie and I will be in the garden, doing some real work."

"The only work that you two lovely ladies need to do is be your beautiful, charming selves." Tamaki says, the familiar sparkle of his 'charming' tone filling the air. "And we shall join you! Come along, men!"

"Aye aye, Captain!" Mitskuni says as he jumps into the air with Usa-chan, who is also dressed in pirate attire. With that, our group migrates to the garden where we had set up shop. In the distance, I already see the guests waiting for us to open. I get into position at my station, sitting down at the table that is set for tea. Takashi sits down with me as my very own Commodore Norrington. Everyone else is dressed as pirates and they get to run around and have fun while I am in this restrictive costume…at least I have good company.

"How does it feel to be an honorary European?" I ask my tall friend and he hums. "I'm not sure about being English…but it's a French design, so I guess it's okay. We were kind of pissy with the Brits about this time I think…"

"Probably." He says and I laugh. "How are things with Kyoya?" I look up at him ask he speaks and I smile.

"They're good…we may end up moving up the wedding to after we graduate. I'm still thinking about it." I say and he pours a cup of tea for me.

"I think that you should wait…you have much that you want to do before then and you're already rushing some." He says and I feel my shoulders slump. "I'm worried that you're bending because of the pressure from his father."

"It's not like that." I say, a little bit of a bite to my tone. "I'm sorry…it's just…since they got Kyoya I feel less secure…they got him, so who is to say that they won't get me?"

"We would never let that happen." He says looking me dead in the eye. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Takashi." I say, sounding like a little girl to myself. "But I can't help but be afraid…"

"If you'd like, we could start your lessons again." He says and I nod slowly. "We can start whenever you'd like…Adelaide would probably even be willing to help."

"I already feel like she's helped too much…she didn't leave my side when…well you know." As I speak, my morale drops even lower. "Our guests should be arriving in about two seconds."

"Yes, here they come now." He says and I sit up straight and plaster a welcoming smile on my face. Two girls and a boy sit down, I don't recognize any of them.

"Hello Miss Anya, my name is Narumi and these are my friends Hanako and Sosuke. We are in Morninozuka's class." Narumi introduces and I nod.

"It's a pleasure to meet the three of you. Can I offer you some tea? Perhaps a treat?" I ask, picking up the tea pot.

"Yes please." Narumi says and I pour some into the cup that has already been set. I look to the other two who nod with a smile and I fill their cups.

"Takashi, could you please go and grab one of the trays. The twins forgot to bring one over here." I say and he hums as he stands.

"So you're very familiar with Morinozuka, aren't you?" Hanako asks as she daintily sips on her tea. "Does his lady friend approve?"

"Adelaide and Takashi are two of my very best friends. They're more like siblings to me really…so I don't think that she has a problem with it." I say politely, though I don't like the way she referred to Addie as his 'lady friend'. Takashi comes back, and I smile at him. After a while, Sosuke asks me to go for a walk with him…we end up on the flat between the stairs that lead up to a balcony. I lean against the railing, looking out over the beautiful garden and fan myself. It's hot today.

"So…Miss Anya…I think that you are very beautiful." He starts, trying to catch my eye, but I keep my gaze outward. Breathing is starting to get more difficult.

"Thank you, Sosuke-senpai." I say, barely remembering to add the senpai part…why is Japanese so formal?

"Please just call me Sosuke…but I have a very important question that I want to ask you." He says and I look at him. "Miss Anya, you're a very beautiful young woman and I would be honored if you decided to marry me instead of Ohtori."

"I can't breathe." I gasp out, trying to pull in the oxygen but it doesn't work. My knees give out and I fall, tumbling down the stairs.

* * *

"Annie? Please wake up." Kyoya's voice brings me out of the void and my eyes flutter open. "Oh thank god." He brings me into his arms, burying his face in my neck.

"It's okay…" I whisper in a comforting tone…never mind the fact that I'm not sure what happened. "Everything is okay."

"It's my fault…I probably…oh god. If I had lost you." He sounds crazy…so he must have been very worried. "How do you feel?"

"I feel fine." I say, trying to ease him. "What exactly happened? I'm a little fuzzy on what went down."

"You passed out because you couldn't breathe and fell down the stairs." Kyoya says and I give him a look.

"That isn't your fault. If anything, it is Tamaki's fault for insisting upon authentic dress for the time period. Corsets are always a bad idea." I say and then I can feel Tamaki's world ending as he somehow feels what I've said. "It's the truth…am I in the hospital or the clinic at school?"

"I may have panicked and sent you to the hospital." He says and I chuckle before I hug him again.

"My silly love." I say and then I lay back. "Did I hit my head?" I ask looking into his eyes.

"Yes, but Dr. Honda said that your head was fine." He explains and I smile. "I assure you, there will be no more dress up days where you wear a corset."

"Okay." I say with a smile and then my doctor enters. "Good afternoon, Dr. Honda. What's the damage?"

"You sprained your right wrist, so you'll need to take special care of that. Don't baby it necessarily, but be careful. I have a brace that the nurse will help you put on. Other than that everything seems to be alright. At most, you'll probably be a little sore and you can just take your usual pain reliever for that. Your father is here." She explains and at that, the angry Frenchman enters the room.

"Hi Papa." I say, grinning sheepishly at him. "Everything's fine. I just sprained my wrist and the kind nurse trying to get around you right now is about to help me put on a brace."

"I'd be happy to answer any questions you have Mr. Masson." Dr. Honda says and my father takes a breath before moving out of the nurse's way. She comes over and gently slips the brace onto my right hand and pulls the Velcro into place.

"I'm fine, Papa." I say, and Kyoya moves out of the way. My father takes his place at my side and I take his hand with my good hand. "I promise…I feel fine now. I'm just a little sore. Talk with Dr. Honda, she's good at making people feel better about stuff."

"Alright…Kyoya, please make sure Anya makes it home. The staff has been notified that she is not to lift a finger." Papa says and I groan.

"Sir." Kyoya says. Papa leaves with Dr. Honda and I move to get up. "Be careful." He says and I can hear the stress on his tone. I lay back, folding my hands over my stomach.

"Would you like to dress me? Or shall I just wear this home?" I ask and then there is a knock on the door frame.

"Anya? I brought your clothes from the school, I thought that you would rather wear these than that ridiculous dress." Haruhi says and I smile, sitting up.

"Thank you, Haruhi." I say and then I hold onto Kyoya's arm while I stand up. I wait a minute, making sure that there is no dizziness before I take a step towards her. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem, how are you feeling?" She asks and I can tell that she's worried too. I smile.

"I'm fine. I'm walking away with just a sprained wrist. How worried is everyone?" I ask and she looks away. "That bad? Well, I may have to make a stop on my way home to let everyone know that I'm alive and well." I say and walk into the bathroom to change before Kyoya can say anything. I examine myself in the mirror and pull my hair into a bun. I look good. I pitch my hospital gown into the linen bag and look to my fiancé. "Well, take me away."

"I think that it would be in your best interest to just head home for now." He says and I can tell that he won't budge on this.

"Okay, okay." I say and we head downstairs and get into his family's car. I lean against his chest and close my eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too." He says, kissing the top of my head. "Please don't scare me like that again…"

"No promises." I say and he sighs. "But I'll try…you know how much I don't like being a patient."

"I know." He says and I smile. We reach my family's estate and head inside. "Would you like for me to stay?"

"Always." I say, going into the entertainment room and flipping on the television. I take out my phone and text Tamaki, telling him to bring everyone over.

"Who are you texting?" Kyoya asks and I shove my phone into the pocket of my skirt. "Annie…"

"I thought you weren't going to be the kind of boyfriend who was controlling and had to know who I was texting all the time." I say, sticking my tongue out at him.

"Fiancé." He mutters darkly. "Did you tell Tamaki to come over here?" He asks and I shrug, crossing my legs and looking at the screen. "I knew that you agreed to that too quickly. You're supposed to be taking it easy."

"And how am I supposed to take it easy knowing that all the people I care about are afraid that I'm hurt?" I ask and he sighs, leaning his head back on the couch. "Do they make fun of you for being cute with me?"

"The twins seem fond of it." He says and I smile, leaning up and kissing him on the chin. "You missed."

"You're greedy." I say and he shrugs before he kisses me. "It's okay…sometimes." I say and he grins.

"Well, well, well." Hikaru says as he stands in the doorway. Kaoru occupies the rest of the space, their arms around each other's waists.

"We aren't interrupting something, are we?" Kaoru asks and Kyoya sighs, but only I hear it.

"My boys." I say, holding out my arms to them as I stand up. "I have wonderful news…" I say and they look at me expectantly. "I live!"

"Anya!" Tamaki wails as he bursts into the room, knocking the twins on the floor. He falls to his knees, his arms around my waist as he sobs into my stomach. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to pick a bad costume for you!"

"Tamaki…" Kyoya says, an implied warning. I roll my eyes and pat the blonde's head before he backs away and stands up.

"You okay, kid?" Addie asks as she walks in and falls over sideways onto her favorite chair.

"I'm fine. I just sprained my wrist." I say, holding up the brace. Tamaki begins sobbing again, only this time in the corner.

"Ah." Takashi says, gently taking my right hand and looking at it. Mitskuni looks over his shoulder.

"We were worried about Annie-chan, right Takashi?" The little third year says and the giant hums.

"Well, I live." I say, taking back my hand and spinning around. "I'll be back at school tomorrow."

"I'm sure if you wanted to take a day, your parents wouldn't mind." Kyoya says and I spin around and look at him.

"Listen, worry wart, I will be back at school tomorrow. You will get to stare at the back of my head all day and then I will bake you delicious lavender cupcakes during club. Do we have an understanding?" I ask and then I hear the sound of someone, Hikaru, making a whipping noise. "And you, heathen." I turn on Hikaru and he cowers behind Kaoru. "Stop making fun of Kyoya…he's in love with me. Can you blame him?"

"I guess not." Hikaru says and we grin before I tackle the two and begin tickling them. "Hey! Stop it!" He says and then Kaoru starts tickling me.

"No! Stop! Stop! Truce!" I cry through my laughter, trying to make my body as small as I can so as to stop the tickling. "Uncle! Uncle!"

"Aww, you're no fun." Kaoru says as he helps me stand up. I dust off my skirt and poke his most ticklish side before I hide behind Kyoya. "Coward."

"No, I'm smart." I say and then I grab Kyoya's sides. He jumps away from me, looking at me like I've betrayed him.

"You say you're smart…but you just started a tickle war with your fiancé." He says and I look to Takashi who shakes his head.

"You've done it to yourself." He says and I sigh. "But, I do think that we should be careful of her wrist."

"I knew that he wouldn't betray me." I say, putting a hand over my heart. "Well...what movie do you guys want to watch?"

"BIG HERO 6!" Addie exclaims and I walk over to the Blu-ray player and put on the movie before settling onto the couch.


End file.
